# Accident 19950207001429A: Bell 47G3B, China Lake, CA, February 7, 1995

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 7, 1995, 11:00 local time
- Place: China Lake, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: QHDA
- Location: 35.5496° N, 117.6690° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5496&lon=-117.6690&mi=10
- Aircraft: N73240, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N73240) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-3B (registry code 1181026, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-3b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TVO-435-GIA (registry code 41526, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tvo-435-gia) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G3B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 27,000 total, 15,000 in this make and model, 74 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX95LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA100) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950207001429A

## Narrative

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

ROTORS STRUCK A JOSHUA TREE DURING A LOW TURN WHILE HERDING HORSES.

## 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 LAX95LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA100), Feb 7, 1995: Bell 47G-3B (N73240), China Lake, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's misjudgement of the clearance between the main rotor and a tree while maneuvering at low altitude to herd animals.

## Other reports on N73240 (1)

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

- [Accident 19780724023789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780724023789A), Jul 24, 1978: Bell 47B3 (N73240), Angwin, CA, Substantial damage. Wind gusts 10 to 15K.

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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