# Accident 19960926045559A: Bell 47G3B1, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, September 26, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 26, 1996, 12:45 local time
- Place: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
- Airport: Rafael Hernandez Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 18.4949° N, 67.1294° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at RAFAEL HERNANDEZ (BQN), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.4949&lon=-67.1294&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1397X, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1397X) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-3B-1 (registry code 1181028, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-3b-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TVO-435-GIA (registry code 41526, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tvo-435-gia) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G3B1
- Reported engine: LYC TVO435D1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 45 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960926045559A

## Narrative

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

LANDED IN GRASS NEAR RUNWAY. BEGAN HOVER DOWNWIND. LEFT SKID HIT GROUND THEN ROTORS. FIRST SOLO. WIND GUST PROBLEM.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

## Other reports on N1397X (5)

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

- [Accident 19960929045529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960929045529A), Sep 29, 1996: Bell 47G3B1 (N1397X), San Juan, Puerto Rico, Substantial damage. (.4) On September 29, 1996, about 1245 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 helicopter, N1397X, registered to a private owner, operating as a title 14 CFR…
- [Accident 19910915040009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910915040009A), Sep 15, 1991: Bell 47G3B1 (N1397X), Peneulas, Puerto Rico, Substantial damage. Passenger moved copilot cyclic forward by his knee during hover after liftoff. Unable to correct, impacted. Rolled.
- [Incident 19901204060289I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901204060289I), Dec 4, 1990: Bell 47G3B1 (N1397X), San Juan, Puerto Rico, Minor damage. Heavy vibration and drop in rotor RPM on precautionary landing rotor blades hit a light pole.
- [Incident 19900630041939I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900630041939I), Jun 30, 1990: Bell 47G3B1 (N1397X), Aibonito, Puerto Rico, Minor damage. Pilot stated tail rotor cut a wire on ground. Evidence shows helicoptert struck wire 18 to 20 feet above ground.
- [Accident 19830408011959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830408011959A), Apr 8, 1983: Bell 47G3B1 (N1397X), Delano, CA, Substantial damage. Helicopter hit powerlines causing substantial damage during spraying operation.

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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