19860808038149A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-4A · Shafter, CA · August 8, 1986

Date
August 8, 1986 · 08:20 local
Place
Shafter, CA
Phase of flight
Tkof-Abort-Copter Vertical
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
RPXG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1185W
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX86DVA13
Reported as
Bell 47G4A
Reported engine
Lycoming VO540B1B3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,438 total1,438 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The helicopter struck the ground during takeoff after loss of directional control. Tailrotor drive shaft failed.

As the FAA filed it

THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE GROUND DURING TAKEOFF AFTER LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. TAILROTOR DRIVE SHAFT FAILED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

Other reports on N1185W · 1

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