# Accident 19880413008899A: Bell 47D1, Taft, CA, April 13, 1988

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 13, 1988, 14:30 local time
- Place: Taft, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1267° N, 119.4242° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Taft, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1267&lon=-119.4242&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 47D1
- Reported engine: FRNKLN 6VS335A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,298 total, 804 in this make and model, 206 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX88LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX88LA160) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880413008899A

## Narrative

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

DEMONSTRATED AN AUTOROTATION TO HOVER. FLARED TOO HIGH. TAIL ROTOR HIT AND BROKE OFF HITTING MAIN ROTORS ON LANDING

## 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 LAX88LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX88LA160), Apr 13, 1988: Bell 47D1 (N917B), Taft, CA, substantial damage

## Other reports on N917B (2)

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

- [Accident 19870805082279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870805082279A), Aug 5, 1987: Bell STC47 (N917B), Taft, CA, Substantial damage. Lost all power. In autorotation heard bang. Aft part of tailboom severed by main rotors. Pilot moved cylic too fast
- [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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