Bell 407 N801DS

Summary

On 7 January 2008 at about 23:45 local time, a Bell 407 registered N801DS, operated by Volusia County Sheriff's Department, was involved in an accident near DeLand, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 January 2008 at 23:45

Classification

Accident

Location

DeLand, Florida, United States

Coordinates

28.9844, -81.2994

Aircraft

Bell 407

Registration

N801DS

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Volusia County Sheriff's Department

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

DeLand → DeLand

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC08LA077

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of a third stage turbine wheel blade.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter was cruising at 120 knots and 700 feet above the ground. About 2 city blocks from the intended destination, the pilot heard a loud "bang," and the helicopter then yawed left about 30 degrees. The pilot initiated an autorotation to a nearby road that was under construction. While attempting to land, the pilot maneuvered the helicopter to avoid construction equipment, and during the landing the main rotor blades contacted the vertical stabilizer. After the helicopter came to rest, the pilot observed a fire in the engine compartment, which he extinguished using the on-board fire extinguisher. Post-accident examination of the engine revealed that one of the blades on the third stage turbine wheel had failed in fatigue, resulting in an over-speed and subsequent burst of the first stage turbine wheel. The root cause of the blade failure could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.