Bell 407 accident near Broadus, Texas, March 27, 2003
On March 27, 2003 at about 10:36 pm local time, a Bell 407 (helicopter), registered N175PA, was destroyed in an accident near Broadus, Texas. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of engine power due to erratic fuel flow metering to the engine resulting from the single point failure of the PLA potentiometer in the hydro-mechanical fuel control unit. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain to execute a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 2003 · about 10:36 pm local time
- Place
- Broadus, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 407 · all 407s on the register
- Registration
- N175PA · registry record · serial 53154
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While establishing a 125-foot out of ground effect hover during a search and recovery mission of Columbia Space Shuttle debris, the helicopter lost power without warning, descended rapidly into a forest with 80-foot tall trees, and impacted the ground. There were no reported radio communications or distress calls. During post accident component examinations, while performing the rigging procedure for the Hydro-Mechanical Unit (HMU) during an engine test cell run, anomalies were noted with the actual position of the throttle Position Lever Angle (PLA) and the readings obtained from the Electronic Control Unit (ECU). During the test cell run, the Full Authority Digital Electronic Control System (FADEC) controlled engine operated erratically in the Auto mode when rigged with its original Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and (HMU). The engine control was then changed from Auto to Manual mode, and the engine responded to throttle input as required; however, the ECU readings were erratic. After a slave ECU was installed, the engine operated with similar erratic readings. A slave HMU was installed, and the engine operated normally without erratic readings. The ECU's nonvolatile memory was downloaded, and revealed no faults on the accident flight. Extensive electrical and mechanical testing of the HMU revealed severe signal fallout on the PLA signal, which was found to be random in location, bi-directional, and present during both rotational and stationary operation of the PLA input of the HMU. The source of the fallout was traced to the HMU potentiometer. The PLA potentiometer examinations consisted of mechanical measurements, electrical testing, inspection of the conductive epoxy joints, and microscopic examination of the three lead wire connections to the potentiometer elements. The PLA potentiometer was found faulty due to insulation breakdown between the rotor and shaft, resulting in a single-point failure that induced erratic fuel metering to the engine. As a result of the findings from this investigation, the Safety Board issued four safety recommendations (A-03-18 through A-03-21), on May 27, 2003, to the FAA that addressed the PLA potentiometer deficiencies.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,741 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 8,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,339.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2003; 3.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,600 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LFK Lufkin TX at 9:15 pm
- Destination: LFK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N175PA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW03FA118.