Bell Helicopter Textron Canada BHT407 accident near Libby, Montana, February 5, 2026
On February 5, 2026 at about 3:45 am local time, a 2017 Bell Helicopter Textron Canada BHT407, registered N407VS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Libby, Montana (Cabinet Peaks Medical Center airport). It was a positioning flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a light post during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 2026 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Libby, Montana · Cabinet Peaks Medical Center · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell Helicopter Textron Canada BHT407, built 2017
- Registration
- N407VS · registry record · serial 54667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a routine positioning flight to a hospital helipad; a procedure he had performed multiple times previously. While maneuvering to land, he thought he was lower than normal and continued to maneuver for the landing. During the landing flare, the pilot heard a loud noise and felt a vibration but landed uneventfully. After the flight, the pilot discovered that the tail rotor had contacted a helipad light post during the landing sequence, which resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom and tail rotor. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,327 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 6,365 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 19, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: remote
- Ratings: rotorcraft: unmanned (suas)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,912.4 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 5,250 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison/Rolls Royce 250-C47B/8 (turboshaft); 2,802 hours total
- Operator: A L E R T Kalispell Regional Medical Center Inc
The flight
- Departed from: MT28 Kalispell MT at 3:15 am
- Destination: None Libby MT
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.42 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from 65S, 36 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR K65S 050435Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 02/02 A3042 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 2 | |||
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 30, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 WPR26LA099.