Bell 407 accident near Justin, Texas, March 5, 2015
On March 5, 2015 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1997 Bell 407 (helicopter), registered N41BH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Justin, Texas (Fort Worth Alliance Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Abnormal ground contact during an autorotation demonstration, resulting in a severed tailrotor driveshaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2015 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Justin, Texas · Fort Worth Alliance Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 407 NO SERIES, built 1997 · all 407s on the register
- Registration
- N41BH · registry record · serial 53183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter instructor was demonstrating a full down 180 degree auto rotation. He reported that everything was done normally and as he flared to slow the aircraft down, the tail skid lightly bumped the ground a couple of times. The skids eventually made contact with the ground and the helicopter slid about 20 feet to a stop. A post landing examination of the helicopter revealed that the main rotor blade had contacted the tailboom, severing the tailrotor drive shaft.
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
What happened, in order
- Autorotation Miscellaneous/other defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,962 hours in all; 1,280 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 4,929 as pilot in command; 1,640 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 18, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: foreign licence
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,905 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 29, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 5,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C47B (turboshaft); 2,087 hours total
- Operator: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KAFW Fort Worth TX at 8:30 pm
- Destination: KAFW Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.59 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KASW, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 27, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo 1 - Tail Rotor Boom and Damaged Trail Rotor Drive Shaft (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.