NTSB CAROL · Event
Event FTW92FA218
Registry · N342AE
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
BELL 407
Year of manufacture
1997
TCDS
H2SW · BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA LTD
Engine
ALLISON 250-C47 (600 hp)
Seats / Engines
7 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19971210
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A3C4C1
Registrant of record
AIR EVAC EMS INC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION BY THE OPERATOR'S MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO ASSURE PROPER TRAVEL DIRECTION OF THE AIRPLANE'S PRIMARY FLIGHT CONTROLS AFTER BEING MADE AWARE OF THE NATURE OF THE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED.
Factual narrative
THE MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT WAS BEING FLOWN FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 87-02-02 REQUIRING THE MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF ALL PRIMARY FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES. FOLLOWING LIFT-OFF, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE START A RAPID ROLL TO THE RIGHT UNTIL INITIAL IMPACT WAS MADE WITH THE GROUND BY THE RIGHT WING TIP. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE A HALF TURN IN THE ROUTING OF THE REPLACED FLIGHT CONTROL CABLE WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED ON BOTH CONTROL COLUMNS WHICH WOULD RESULT IN THE AILERONS OPERATING IN REVERSE OF THE COMMANDED INPUT. THE PASSENGER WAS THE QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTOR WHO HAD INSPECTED AND SIGNED OFF THE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED. ACCORDING TO OTHER COMPANY PERSONNEL, HE HAD BRIEFED THE CREW PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT ON THE PURPOSE OF THE TEST FLIGHT AND THE EXTENT OF THE MAINTENANCE THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD UNDERGONE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1992_FTW92FA218.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (maintenance). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA)
From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences)
Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study in Aviation Maintenance
With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying ta…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
A New Trajectory in UAV Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning for Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations
In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Just Culture in Aviation: A Metaphorical Study on Aircraft Maintenance Students
Just Culture, a sub-dimension of safety culture, has been a prominent and debated topic in aviation safety in recent years.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Performance PRISM: A Comprehensive Framework For Performance Measurement In Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is governed by rigorous safety requirements and high operational complexity, demanding robust performance measurement frameworks to ensure optimal maintenance practices.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗