# Accident 19810526030079A: Bell 47J2, Branson, MO, May 26, 1981

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 26, 1981, 11:00 local time
- Place: Branson, MO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.6246° N, 93.2934° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Branson, MO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6246&lon=-93.2934&mi=10
- Aircraft: N73265, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N73265-2013-06-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47J-2 (registry code 1181104, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47j-2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming VO-540 series (registry code 41534, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47J2
- Reported engine: LYC VO540B1B3
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,667 total, 7,014 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MKC81FCG36](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC81FCG36) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810526030079A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ENGINE FAILED. HARD AUTOROTATION LANDING. CONNECTING ROD FATIGUE FAILURE. FIVE PERSONS ON BOARD FOUR-PLACE CRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MKC81FCG36](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC81FCG36), May 26, 1981: Bell 47J-2 (N73265), Branson, MO, substantial damage

## Other reports on N73265 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19870730044909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870730044909A), Jul 30, 1987: Bell 47J2 (N73265), Canon City, CO, Substantial damage. Density altitude caused pilot to abort after a high hover. Returned. Tail rotor struck a fence.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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