# Accident 19870805082279A: Bell STC47, Taft, CA, August 5, 1987

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 5, 1987, 15:15 local time
- Place: Taft, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1602° N, 119.4298° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1602&lon=-119.4298&mi=10
- Aircraft: N917B, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N917B) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47D1 (registry code 1180802, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47d1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Franklin 6V4 series (registry code 27033, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6v4-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL STC47
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,913 total, 474 in this make and model, 169 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX87LA294](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX87LA294) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870805082279A

## Narrative

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

LOST ALL POWER. IN AUTOROTATION HEARD BANG. AFT PART OF TAILBOOM SEVERED BY MAIN ROTORS. PILOT MOVED CYLIC TOO FAST

## 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 LAX87LA294](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX87LA294), Aug 5, 1987: Bell 47D-1 (N917B), Taft, CA, substantial damage

## Other reports on N917B (2)

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

- [Accident 19880413008899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880413008899A), Apr 13, 1988: Bell 47D1 (N917B), Taft, CA, Substantial damage. Demonstrated an autorotation to hover. Flared too high. Tail rotor hit and broke off hitting main rotors on landing
- [Accident 19760407008769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760407008769A), Apr 7, 1976: Bell 47D1 (N917B), Lancaster, CA, Substantial damage. Practice autorotations from 4FT hover.

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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