What happened
On August 26, 2025, at approximately 01:00 mountain daylight time, a Bell 407 GTX helicopter, registration N38AJ, was involved in an accident near Lincoln, Montana. The aircraft was operating as a Part 135 air medical flight for Life Flight Network.
The flight departed Missoula Montana Airport (MSO) and arrived near Lincoln at approximately 00:48. The pilot orbited the scene for roughly 15 minutes while waiting for a ground ambulance. During this period, the pilot performed reconnaissance passes of a 100-foot by 100-foot parking lot selected as a landing zone. The pilot noted several hazards around the perimeter, including trees, wires, gravel, and tall signs.
After a low-pass assessment and a briefing regarding approach and abort procedures, the pilot received confirmation from ground contact that the landing zone was clear of overhead obstructions. To avoid obstacles, the pilot executed a steep approach toward the center of the landing area. As the aircraft reached 50 feet above ground level, dust began to rise from behind the helicopter. Although the crew confirmed they could see through the dust using night vision goggles, the rear of the helicopter struck a sign while at approximately 10 feet above ground level. The aircraft subsequently impacted the parking lot and came to rest on its left side against one of the steel posts that had supported the sign.
There were no injuries to the pilot or the two passengers.