Ownership guide
Bell 407
975 registered in the US, built from about 1996 to 2025, 8 seats, most with the Rolls-Royce 250. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 975
- Built
- 1996 to 2025
- Half built by
- 2009
- Seats
- 8
- Engine type
- Turboshaft
- Most common engine
- Rolls-Royce 250
Engines installed
- Rolls-Royce 250898 aircraft (92%) · 53 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
40 current ADs name the 407 airframe, 11 with a repeat action; 18 more were superseded. Its engines carry 53 more. 5 equipment ADs name the model.
The ones that come back
ADs with a repeat action: an inspection or replacement at an interval, for as long as the AD applies. These are the airworthiness costs an owner keeps paying.
- 2026-14-07Requires repetitively inspecting the pilot cyclic stick tube assembly for a crack and, depending on the results, repairing or replacing the pilot cyclic stick tube assemblyMain rotor control · RotorcraftRepeat actionJul 17, 2026
- 2022-27-08Requires inspecting the tailboom attachment structure, as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is incorporated by referenceRotorcraft tail boom · RotorcraftRepeat actionDec 28, 2022
- 2018-10-06Requires repetitive inspections of the tail rotor (TR) driveshaft segment assemblies and a torque check of the TR adapter retention nutsTail rotor drive shaft · RotorcraftRepeat actionMay 21, 2018
- 2015-05-04Requires inspecting the aft fuselage upper skin (upper skin) for a crack and the upper left longeron assembly (longeron assembly) for a crack, corrosion, or defectFuselage main, longeron/stringer · RotorcraftRepeat actionMar 16, 2015
- 2012-18-09Replace tailboom-attachment hardware (attachment hardware), and perform initial and recurring determinations of the torque on the nuts of the tailboom-attachment bolts (bolts) at all four attachment locationsBell Helicopter Textron Canada Helicopters · RotorcraftRepeat actionSep 17, 2012
- 2008-14-06Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 206L, L-1, L-3, L-4, and 407 HelicoptersRotorcraftRepeat actionJul 10, 2008
- 2004-10-07Requires a one-time replacement of certain oil cooler blower bearingsBell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 407 Helicopters · RotorcraftSupersedes 2002-06-52Repeat actionMay 20, 2004
- 2003-02-06Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited Model 407 HelicoptersRotorcraftRepeat actionJan 24, 2003
- 2002-22-10Requires visually inspecting the brackets that attach the horizontal stabilizer slat (slat) to the stabilizer for a crackBell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited Model 407 Helicopters · RotorcraftSupersedes 2000-20-18Repeat actionNov 6, 2002
- 2002-11-09Requires visually inspecting the forward hanger bearing bracket (bracket) for a crackBell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 407 Helicopters · RotorcraftRepeat actionJun 11, 2002
- 97-24-17Requires inspections of components in the tail rotor drive system for scratches, cracks, fretting, corrosion, and proper torquing, lubrications of the oil cooler blower shaft hanger bearings and oil cooler hanger...Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 407 Helicopters · RotorcraftRepeat actionApr 1, 1998
What gets reported
679 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Turbine Section90
- Air Distribution System53
- Engine (Turbine/Turboprop)51
- Main Rotor Gearbox47
- Fuselage Main, Plate/Skin26
- Air Distribution Fan26
Parts reported most
- Bearing, spalled87
- Unknown, odor42
- Engine, making metal26
- Blade, cracked20
- Skin, corroded19
- Transmission, making metal19
The latest reports
2026-10-05 · Engine Control System Wiring · Switch, failed
During cruise flight, aircraft experienced a fadec failure resulting in landing offsite and performance of a run on landing.
2026-09-24 · Fuel Storage · Fuel sys, not reported
During flight pilot thought he had excessive fuel burn then the crew reported gas fumes. inspected fuel system for leaks and integrity, no discrepancies found. checked fadec for any fault codes, none found. performed ground runup with normal fuel burn rates. could not duplicate discrepancy. all maintenance completed. aircraft released to revenue service.
2026-09-20 · Air Distribution Fan · Blower, odor
On going issue with an electrical smell in flight. happened again last night first time me the pilot ever smelled it. worked through to isolate the problem and appears to be the blower components. discrepancy deferred in ref to ambh407 mel rev#27. mel item 2100-01, category d, mel expiration date is 01/18/2027. ac system deactivated. replaced blower motor
2026-09-14 · Air Distribution System · Duct, collapsed
Electrical odor in cabin followed by air conditioner failure. the hose in between the evaporator and aft blower collapsed causing the aft blower cb to pop.
From the FAA's Service Difficulty Reporting System, refreshed monthly. Counts of what was reported, not failure rates: most of general aviation reports voluntarily, and a busy training fleet reports more than a private one.
Accident record
98 accidents since 2008, 30 fatal (85 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 16 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (total)12
- Hard landing9
- Loss of control in flight8
- Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)6
- Collision during takeoff/land4
- Powerplant sys/comp failure4
Phase of flight
- Enroute28
- Maneuvering16
- Landing13
- Approach6
- Autorotation5
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-13 | Dallas, TX | Maneuvering: Low altitude operation/event | None | CEN26LA185 |
| 2026-04-29 | Young, AZ | Landing: Tailstrike | None | WPR26LA172 |
| 2026-04-11 | Jacksonville, FL | Autorotation: Hard landing | None | ERA26LA170 |
| 2026-02-05 | Flagstaff, AZ | Maneuvering: Unknown or undetermined | Fatal | WPR26FA098 |
| 2025-12-15 | Las vegas, NV | Unknown: Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT) | None | WPR26LA062 |
| 2025-09-16 | Decatur, TX | Autorotation: Hard landing | Minor | CEN25LA380 |
From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.
What it costs to run
Per hour flown
Per year, flown or not
- Fuel
- $0/hr
- Engine reserve
- $0/hr
- A year
- $0
- All in, per hour
- $0/hr
Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.
Before you buy one
- Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
- For each repeat-action AD (11 on the airframe), find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
- Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
- Ask the mechanic doing the pre-buy to look hard at the turbine section and for spalled bearings: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 5 equipment ADs name the 407 (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
- Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
- Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.
Questions
- How many Bell 407s are registered in the US?
- 975, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Bell 407 built?
- From about 1996 to 2025. Half of those registered today were built by 2009.
- What engine does the Bell 407 have?
- Most have the Rolls-Royce 250 (92% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Bell 407?
- In 679 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were turbine section, air distribution system, engine (turbine/turboprop), and the part most often reported was a spalled bearing.
- How many accidents has the Bell 407 had?
- 98 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 30 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of engine power (total). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Bell 407 have?
- 40 current ADs name the 407 airframe, 11 of them with a repeat action, and 53 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.
Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.