Bell 407 accident near Kalea, HI
On June 9, 2022, a Bell 407 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Kalea, HI. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 9, 2022
- Place
- Kalea, HI
- Aircraft
- Bell 407 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 19.005°N, 155.655°W
- NTSB ID
- 20220609105233
Official records · ANC22FA041
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 8, 2022, about 1726 Hawaii-Aleutian standard time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N402SH, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Kalea, Hawaii. The pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries, and three passengers sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand air tour flight. According to the operator, Paradise Helicopters, about 1701, the helicopter departed the company base at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (PHKO), Kona, Hawaii, to the south for an air tour flight around the island. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast and company flight track data showed the helicopter traveled southeast toward an area known as South Point. The pilot stated that the first part of the flight was normal. About 35 minutes into the flight, at an altitude of 1,500 ft agl and an airspeed of 130 knots, the helicopter experienced a violent upset, followed by an uncontrolled spin (yaw) to the right. A passenger, seated in the aft-left forward-facing seat, reported that as the helicopter continued to spin she observed something fall off the helicopter; however, she was not able to identify the specific part. The pilot communicated two mayday calls and attempted to recover helicopter control as it continued to spin uncontrollably and rapidly descend. The helicopter subsequently impacted a lava field and came to rest on its left side (see figure 1). After the impact, about 1728, a passenger placed an emergency call to report that the helicopter had
Probable cause
The in-flight separation of the tail boom as a result of abnormal loading and fracture of the upper-left tail boom attachment bolt due to a gap between the upper-left longeron and aft fuselage bulkhead.
More accidents in HI
- Beech 65-A90, Jun 22, 2019
- Piper PA-31-350, Sep 26, 1999
- Boeing 747-122, Feb 24, 1989
- Beech E18S, Apr 23, 1992
- Piper PA-31-350, Dec 24, 1987
Browse: Hawaii · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
