# Accident 19881202052349A: Bell 47D1, Russell, MA, December 2, 1988

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 2, 1988, 10:15 local time
- Place: Russell, MA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.2039° N, 72.8619° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Russell, MA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2039&lon=-72.8619&mi=10
- Aircraft: N163B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N163B-1992-02-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47D1 (registry code 1180802, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47d1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47D1
- Reported engine: FRNKLN 6V335A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC89DNE01](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC89DNE01) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19881202052349A

## Narrative

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

INDICATES STUDENT GOT TOO SLOW IN FLIGHT. MAST BUMPING. BLADE FLAPPING. ROTOR SPEED DECAY. CARB ICING POSSIBILITY.

## 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 NYC89DNE01](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC89DNE01), Dec 2, 1988: Bell 47D1 (N163B), Russell, MA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A PILOT INDUCED LOW ROTOR RPM CONDITION, FOLLOWED BY BLADE FLAPPING AS THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACTED THE TAIL OF THE HELICOPTER.

## Other reports on N163B (2)

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

- [Accident 19760617016639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760617016639A), Jun 17, 1976: Bell 47B3 (N163B), Ravenden, AR, Substantial damage. Spray boom hit pwr line.
- [Accident 19730809023609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730809023609A), Aug 9, 1973: Bell 47G3B1 (N163B), Black Rock, AR, Substantial damage. Plt pulled up into a pwr line he did not see.

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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