Accident Bell 407GXP N14Z,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 309583
 
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Date:Friday 24 March 2023
Time:12:17
Type:Silhouette image of generic B407 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Bell 407GXP
Owner/operator:Black Labs LLC
Registration: N14Z
MSN: 54704
Total airframe hrs:1750 hours
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:near Nuevo, CA -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:French Valley Airport, CA (RBK/F70)
Destination airport:Big Bear City Airport, CA (L35)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities
Narrative:
On March 24, 2023, at 1217 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 407, 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 friend, the helicopter was en route to Big Bear, California as part of a weekend skiing trip.

The helicopter was equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS–B), which provides aircraft tracking to determine its position via satellite navigation or other sensors and periodically broadcasts it, enabling it to be tracked. The information can be received by air traffic control ground stations as a replacement for secondary surveillance radar, as no interrogation signal is needed from the ground.

According to archived Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ADS-B data, the helicopter departed French Valley Airport (F70), Murrieta/Temecula, California, at 1205. After departure, the helicopter proceeded in a northernly direction. The last ADS-B reporting point was about 18 miles north of F70 at 1217 located at the accident site.

Additionally, if an iPhone or Apple Watch detects a severe car crash and the user is unresponsive, the iPhone will attempt to contact emergency services with its location. A family member received a crash detection notification from the pilot’s iPhone shortly after the accident, and crash detection notification was forwarded to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Responding deputies arrived at the accident site at 1243.

The fragmented helicopter wreckage came to rest about 100 ft downslope in an area of rocky, hilly terrain on the north facing side of the hill, at an elevation of 2,560 ft above mean sea level (msl). All components were located within the main wreckage site. The right landing gear skid and a portion of the left landing gear skid were downslope of the main wreckage.

A detailed wreckage examination is pending.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ANC23FA031
Status: Preliminary report
Duration:
Download report: Preliminary report

Sources:

https://abc7.com/riverside-county-helicopter-crash-two-people-killed-plane-accident/13007105/
https://nbcpalmsprings.com/2023/03/24/helicopter-crashes-in-hills-north-of-hemet-circumstances-unclear/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/03/24/2-dead-helicopter-crash-southern-california/3895f11a-ca8f-11ed-9cc5-a58a4f6d84cd_story.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/2-killed-in-hemet-helicopter-crash-pilot-delivered-organs-in-spare-time-family-says/

NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=14Z
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a0a296&lat=33.813&lon=-117.059&zoom=13.4&showTrace=2023-03-24&trackLabels
https://avspotters.com/frame.php?f=Bell%20407&u=54704

https://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/001/745/001745067.jpg (photo)

Location

Media:

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
02-May-2023 19:17 Captain Adam Updated

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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