Bell 407 accident near Deland, Florida, January 7, 2008
On January 7, 2008 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Bell 407 (helicopter), registered N801DS, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Deland, Florida. It was a positioning 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
A total loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of a third stage turbine wheel blade.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 2008 · about 11:45 pm local time · cases in 2008
- Place
- Deland, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 407 · all 407s on the register
- Registration
- N801DS · registry record · serial 53504
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was cruising at 120 knots and 700 feet above the ground. About 2 city blocks from the intended destination, the pilot heard a loud "bang," and the helicopter then yawed left about 30 degrees. The pilot initiated an autorotation to a nearby road that was under construction. While attempting to land, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter to avoid construction equipment, and during the landing the main rotor blades contacted the vertical stabilizer. After the helicopter came to rest, the pilot observed a fire in the engine compartment, which he extinguished using the on-board fire extinguisher. Post-accident examination of the engine revealed that one of the blades on the third stage turbine wheel had failed in fatigue, resulting in an over-speed and subsequent burst of the first stage turbine wheel. The root cause of the blade failure could not be determined.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Turbine section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion other cases naming the engine
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,120 hours in all
- Last flight review: March 25, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,895 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C47B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Volusia County Sheriff'S Department
The flight
- Departed from: DED Deland FL at 11:31 pm
- Destination: NONE Deland FL
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from DAB, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on August 11, 2009. 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 | Witness Interview Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Sheriff's Office Investigator Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Rolls Royce Investigation Report (Excerpt) | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N801DS on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Bell 407 985 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bell 3,080 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C47B 536 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Deland Muni-Sidney H Taylor Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 985 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,705 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/NYC08LA077.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.