N14ZBell Helicopter Textron Canada 407

On March 24, 2023, at 1217 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N14Z, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Nuevo, California. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to a family member, the helicopter was en route to Big Bear, California, as part of a weekend skiing trip. The pilot’s cell phone was enabled with a crash notification feature, which triggered an automatic call to a family member. The family member then notified first responders, who located the wreckage near the peak of a rocky hilltop at 1243.

Review of ADS-B data revealed the helicopter departed French Valley Airport (F70), Murrieta/Temecula, California, at 1205 and flew in a northernly direction at an altitude of about 500 to 600 ft above the ground (agl). The last ADS-B reporting point was collocated with the accident site, about 18 miles north of F70.

The helicopter came to rest about 330 ft downslope on a rocky, hilly terrain, at an elevation of 2,560 ft above mean sea level. All of the helicopter and engine components were located within the main wreckage site.

The debris field extended along the route of flight, starting at the top of a small hill and extending down the hillside. The beginning of the debris field consisted of very small fragments of fiberglass, consistent with main rotor blade material. These fragments were located on top of, and immediately adjacent to, a large rocky outcrop at the top of the hill. Ground scars about 60 ft past the initial impact point were consistent with multiple tail rotor blade strikes. No evidence of main rotor strikes were found after the initial impact point.

The airframe was extensively damaged, and the tailboom was separated. The main rotor hub remained attached to the transmission and the transmission deck was fractured from the passenger compartment. Two main rotor blades exhibited extensive impact damage. The two other main rotor blades sustained less damage.

The cockpit and flight controls sustained extensive damage due to impact forces. The helicopter was equipped with a set of left side dual controls, which consisted of a cyclic, collective, and tail rotor anti torque pedals. Main rotor flight control continuity for both cyclic and collective systems was confirmed from the flight control input sticks to the main rotor hub assembly, with several overload fractures observed consistent with impact forces. No preimpact anomalies were observed in the main and tail rotor flight controls or hydraulics and all observed fractures were consistent with overload forces at impact. The hydraulic reservoir contained hydraulic fluid, and the screen was free of debris.

The three main rotor servos were all connected to the servo support, which remained attached to the surrounding fractured roof section. The servos were removed and functionally tested; no anomalies were noted.

The rotating (outer ring) swashplate rotated freely by hand. The swashplate also moved freely up and down with hand movement of the collective lever assembly. Drive shaft continuity was confirmed through a series of impact fractures from the engine gearbox to the tail rotor system. No preimpact anomalies were found in the fuel system; fuel remained in the bottom of the aft main fuel cell. Postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Two GoPro cameras were found within the debris field and were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, DC for examination. Video recovered from one of the cameras ended before takeoff. The other video captured the entirety of the 9-minute flight from takeoff to impact from its mounted position on the helicopter’s right skid. The video shows the helicopter depart and proceed toward the intended destination. On two occasions, the video depicted low-level maneuvering over elevated terrain. On the first low pass over a hilltop, about 6 minutes after takeoff, embedded GPS data indicated the helicopter traversed the crest of the hill at an altitude between 30 to 40 ft agl.

About 3 minutes later, the pilot flew over the next line of hills at an altitude of about 30 ft agl, then turned left and flew low-level along a ridgeline. As the pilot approached the crest of the ridgeline, he initiated a steep right turn in a bank of about 60°. See figure 1.

Figure 1. Video frame from on board Go-Pro camera seconds before impact, with main rotor blade seen in upper left of photo.

Moments later, as the helicopter passed over a rocky outcropping at the top of the hill, the main rotor blade contacted terrain and shards of main rotor blades can be seen on the video. See figure 2.

Figure 2. Video frame from on board Go-Pro camera at point of impact, with portions of fragmented main rotor blade seen in upper left of photo.

An autopsy of the pilot was performed by Riverside County Sheriff’s Coroner in Perris, California. The autopsy report was reviewed by the NTSB Investigator-In-Charge. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was accident.

The results of the pilot’s postmortem toxicological testing indicated that he had used the sedating medication zolpidem. The precise timing of his last zolpidem use, and whether it was exerting significant impairing effects at the time of the crash, could not be determined from the zolpidem levels measured in cavity blood and urine. The pilot’s toxological tests were also positive for zolpidem, chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide and lisinopril, none of which are typically impairing.

The pilot-rated passenger’s toxicological tests were positive for acetaminophen, amlodipine, atorvastatin, chlorathiazide, hydrochlorathiazide, sildenafil, desmethylsildenafil, and rivaroxaban, which are not typically impairing.