Accident: Bell 407
Aug 12, 2017 · Charlottesville, VA
NTSB numberERA17FA274Event id20170813X82426
- 2
- Fatalities
- 0
- Serious injuries
- 0
- Minor injuries
- 0
- Uninjured
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of helicopter control after entry into vortex ring state, leading to a high rate of descent to the ground with a right spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent and recurrent training in vortex ring state recognition and recovery.
Source: National Transportation Safety Board. Record last changed Oct 28, 2026, 10:54 UTC.
Aircraft involved
- Aircraft
- Bell 407
- Registration
- N31VA
- Year built
- 2000
- Category
- Helicopter
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Operating rules
- Public aircraft
- Defining event
- Maneuvering Loss of control in flight
Source: National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident database. Counts only; Voydar holds no names.
Nearest airports
Airports with a Voydar profile closest to the recorded position. Proximity only.
- Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO)7 nm (13 km) north-east
- Gordonsville Municipal Airport (GVE)19 nm (35 km) north-east
This page restates the NTSB's public record. Injury figures are counts; Voydar does not hold or publish the names of anyone involved.