Bell 407 N650HP
7 July 2017 · Topeka, Kansas, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 7 July 2017 at about 05:34 local time, a Bell 407 registered N650HP, operated by Kansas Highway Patrol, was involved in an accident near Topeka, Kansas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 05:34
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Topeka, Kansas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Philip Billard Muni (TOP)
- Coordinates
- 39.0692, -95.6281
- Aircraft
- Bell 407
- Registration
- N650HP
- Category
- Helicopter
- Year built
- 2005
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Kansas Highway Patrol
- Operating rule
- Public Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Topeka → Topeka
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night
- NTSB number
- GAA17CA390
People
2 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a building during landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot of the helicopter reported that, during a hover taxi while using night vision goggles, he "pedal turned facing the west to line up with [the] landing lines painted on the ramp." He added that he looked under his goggles and observed the right painted mark under the right skid and noted that he estimated that the helicopter was about 6 ft above the ground. He then looked back through his goggles to land the helicopter. The tactical field officer that was on board the helicopter advised the pilot that they needed to move forward. The pilot further reported that he "tried to move forward but nothing happened at which time [he] felt a sudden jolt and then [heard] the noise of the tail rotor strike." The helicopter struck a building and then impacted the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 407 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 2017 | Bell 407 | Fort Worth, Texas, United States | Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 12 Aug 2017 | Bell 407 | Charlottesville, Virginia, United States | Virginia State Police | Fatal | 2 |
| 6 Nov 2017 | Bell 407 | Krasny Pakhar village, Russia | - | Unknown | - |
| 27 Feb 2017 | Bell 407 | Chauvin, Louisiana, United States | Westwind Helicopters | Fatal | 1 |
| 2 May 2017 | Bell 407 | Venice, Louisiana, United States | PHI, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 3 Jun 2016 | Bell 407 | Mountain City, Tennessee, United States | PHI Air Medical | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 May 2017 | Mooney M20 | Olathe, Kansas, United States | Smooth Blue Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 May 2017 | Thrush S2R-H80 | Gypsum, Kansas, United States | Central Ag Air LLC | No injuries | - |
| 2 Mar 2017 | Maule M5 | Roxbury, Kansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 2017 | Piper PA30 | Topeka, Kansas, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 5 May 2017 | Adrian George W EUROPA CLASSIC | Wellington, Kansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Sep 2017 | Piper PA 25-235 | Westphalia, Kansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |