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BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407 NO SERIES accident at Abbeville, LA, 23 May 2023

Abbeville, LA, United States

On May 23, 2023, a BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407 NO SERIES operated by PHI, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Abbeville, LA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain proper helicopter control during autorotation that resulted in an abnormal ground contact which caused the subsequent main rotor strike on the tail boom that severed the tail rotor driveshaft. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain proper helicopter control during autorotation that resulted in an abnormal ground contact which caused the subsequent main rotor strike on the tail boom that severed the tail rotor driveshaft. Contributing to the accident was the main rotor blowback condition, due to the aft tilting of the main rotor disk.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotInstructor/check pilotIncorrect use/operationProp/rotor parameters — Not attained/maintained

Related events

Same aircraft family

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 23 May 2023 BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407 NO SERIES accident near Abbeville, LA?

The pilot’s failure to maintain proper helicopter control during autorotation that resulted in an abnormal ground contact which caused the subsequent main rotor strike on the tail boom that severed the tail rotor driveshaft. Contributing to the accident was the main rotor blowback condition, due to the aft tilting of…

Were there any fatalities in the 23 May 2023 BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407 NO SERIES accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 23 May 2023 involved a BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407 NO SERIES, operated by PHI, Inc., at Abbeville, LA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot’s failure to maintain proper helicopter control during autorotation that resulted in an abnormal ground contact which caused the subsequent main rotor strike on the tail boom that severed the tail rotor driveshaft. Contributing to the accident was the main rotor blowback condition, due to the aft tilting of…

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