Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

January 22, 2020 · Bell 407 No Series · N947LH

Minot, ND

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 22, 2020
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Minot, ND
Aircraft
Bell 407 No Series (2001)
Tail Number
N947LH
Operator
Executive Air Taxi
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN20LA068

The pilot departed on a positioning flight to pick up a medical crew. As he neared the helipad, he performed a right 180° circling approach. After completing the turn, the pilot thought he was a little low on final approach, and "pulled in a little collective" as he leveled the helicopter, which contacted the landing pad "firmly." Before the subsequent departure, the pilot felt a vibration, and he shut down the helicopter to investigate. The crew walked toward the tail and noticed a slight bend in the lower vertical fin, the tips of both tail rotor blades missing, and the helipad safety fence missing a small section of the fence-edge pipe. Further examination of the helicopter identified cracks in the tail boom structure. A security camera video of the helipad showed that the helicopter's tail rotor impacted the fence during the landing.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from fencing around the landing pad during landing, which resulted in the tail rotor contacting the fence.

Full Narrative

On January 22, 2019, about 1332 central standard time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N947LH, impacted a helipad perimeter fence during a landing near Minot, North Dakota. The pilot, sole occupant was not injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Executive Air Taxi Corp under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a positioning flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight. The pilot conducted a flight to the Trinity Medical Helipad (2ND4) to pick up the medical crew. The pilot stated he performed a right 180° circling approach to the helipad. As he finished the turn, he thought he was a little low on final approach and "pulled in a little collective." He applied more collective as he was leveling off and the "helicopter contacted the pad firmly." The pilot added that it was firmer than a normal landing, but he thought everything was okay until he noticed a small vibration. Before departing with the medical crew, the pilot still felt the vibration in the helicopter, so he shut the helicopter down to check. After shutdown, the crew walked toward the tail and noticed a slight bend in the lower vertical fin, the tips of both tail rotor blades missing, and the helipad safety fence was missing a small section of the fence-edge pipe. Additional examination of the helicopter identified cracks in the tailboom structure. A review of security camera video of the helipad showed the helicopter's tail rotor impact with the edge-fencing.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time12:32 MST
Nearest AirportTrinity Health (0nm N)
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Flight Plan ActivatedYes
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBell 407 No Series
Tail NumberN947LH
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageSubstantial
OperatorExecutive Air Taxi
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboshaft
Engine DetailsAllison · 250-C47 · Turboshaft · 650
Seats3

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 60 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind300° @ 6 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point28 C / 21 C
Altimeter29.78 inHg
Observation Time19:54
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data