Incident Overview
On March 7, 2026, at 2210 Central daylight time, a Bell Textron 505 helicopter, registration N911FW, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Fort Worth, Texas. The helicopter was conducting a public use flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot and a crew member were aboard; neither reported injuries.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, during the takeoff climb, as the helicopter ascended above the surrounding trees, the engine power decreased to idle. Faced with this loss of thrust, the pilot executed a forced landing to an open grass field. The landing resulted in substantial damage to the helicopter's vertical stabilizer.
Post-Incident Examination
A post-accident examination of the wreckage is pending at the time of reporting. No further details regarding the cause of the power reduction have been released.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Bell Textron 505 helicopter, a light single-engine rotorcraft. The specific date and time of the incident were recorded as March 7, 2026, at 2210 CDT. The operation was categorized as a public use flight.