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April 30, 2026 · Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 · N409AE

Chapmansboro, TN

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 30, 2026
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (4 uninjured)
Location
Chapmansboro, TN
Aircraft
Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 (2010)
Tail Number
N409AE
Operator
Air Evac Lifeteam
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ERA26LA194

The air medical helicopter had responded to a call for service, and after landing was sitting idle with the engine running and its rotors turning while the flight medical crew and two local volunteer fire department personnel transferred a patient from a stretcher into the helicopter. Once the patient was loaded, a flight medical crew member told the fire department volunteers they could leave the rotor disk area while they finished securing the patient inside the helicopter. A flight medical crew member then observed one of the volunteers move the stretcher back and away from the helicopter; however, the two volunteers did not leave the rotor disc area. A few moments later, a flight medical crew member watched the unattended and unsecured stretcher roll downhill toward the helicopter’s spinning tail rotor. The stretcher collided with the tail boom and the tail rotor resulting in substantial damage to both tail rotor blades and minor damage to the tail boom.

NTSB Probable Cause

Failure of the volunteer fire department personnel to properly monitor and secure a stretcher, which resulted in it rolling into the helicopter’s tail rotor.

Full Narrative

The air medical helicopter had responded to a call for service, and after landing was sitting idle with the engine running and its rotors turning while the flight medical crew and two local volunteer fire department personnel transferred a patient from a stretcher into the helicopter. Once the patient was loaded, a flight medical crew member told the fire department volunteers they could leave the rotor disk area while they finished securing the patient inside the helicopter. A flight medical crew member then observed one of the volunteers move the stretcher back and away from the helicopter; however, the two volunteers did not leave the rotor disc area. A few moments later, a flight medical crew member watched the unattended and unsecured stretcher roll downhill toward the helicopter’s spinning tail rotor. The stretcher collided with the tail boom and the tail rotor resulting in substantial damage to both tail rotor blades and minor damage to the tail boom.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time02:06 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4
Tail NumberN409AE
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageSubstantial
OperatorAir Evac Lifeteam
Operating RulePart 135
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboshaft
Engine DetailsRolls-Royc · 250-C30P · Turboshaft · 650
Seats5

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (4 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured4
Total4
Crew 1Age 49 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightNight
Wind360° @ 5 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point54 F / 46 F
Altimeter29.95 inHg
Observation Time02:00
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data