No fatalities

Bell 407 No Series accident at Fort Worth, TX, 15 Sept 2020

Fort Worth, TX, United States

On September 15, 2020, a Bell 407 No Series operated by DEA was involved in an aviation accident near Fort Worth, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The flight instructor’s delay in rolling the throttle to the fly position during a practice autorotation maneuver that resulted in a hard landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s delay in rolling the throttle to the fly position during a practice autorotation maneuver that resulted in a hard landing.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

Instructor/check pilotRelated operating infoDescent rate — Not attained/maintained

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 15 Sept 2020 Bell 407 No Series accident near Fort Worth, TX?

The flight instructor’s delay in rolling the throttle to the fly position during a practice autorotation maneuver that resulted in a hard landing.

Were there any fatalities in the 15 Sept 2020 Bell 407 No Series accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 15 Sept 2020 involved a Bell 407 No Series, operated by DEA, at Fort Worth, TX.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The flight instructor’s delay in rolling the throttle to the fly position during a practice autorotation maneuver that resulted in a hard landing.