23 May 2023: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407 NO SERIES — PHI, Inc.

23 May 2023: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407 NO SERIES — PHI, Inc.

No fatalities • Abbeville, LA, United States

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

  • Pilot
  • Instructor/check pilot
  • Incorrect use/operation
  • Incorrect use/operation
  • Prop/rotor parameters — Not attained/maintained

Conditions

Weather
VMC, vis 10sm

Related events

Same aircraft

  • 4 Apr 2026 — BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON 206L-1 (HELIMONTANA.COM LLC)
  • 5 Feb 2026 — BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA BHT407 (Logan Health)
  • 18 Jan 2026 — BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON 206L-1 (—)
  • 19 Dec 2025 — BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 505 (Bell Training Academy)
  • 27 Aug 2025 — BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 505 NO SERIES (Bell Training Academy)

Same operator

  • 2 May 2017 — BELL 407 (PHI, Inc.)

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