19970817025889A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-4A · Wellpinit, WA · August 17, 1997

Date: August 17, 1997
Place: Wellpinit, WA
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9571
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA97LA191
Reported as: Bell 47G4A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0

N9571Registration cancelled Apr 9, 2026 · Bell 47G-4AS/N 7504 Airframe modelBell 47G-4A Engine modelLycoming VO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.19) On August 17, 1997, about 1420 pacific daylight time, N9571, a Bell 47G helicopter, operated by the owner/pilot, impacted terrain and was substantially damaged during landing near Wellpinit, Washington. The private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. According to an officer with the bureau of indian affairs who arrived at the accident site, no mechanical malfunctions were reported. The officer stated that the pilot was attempting to land on a gravel bar on a bank of the spokane river. During the landing, the helicopter began to slide on the rocks and the pilot attempted to stop the sliding motion. A main rotor blade contacted the ground and the helicopter tumbled onto the rocks.

As the FAA filed it

(.19) ON AUGUST 17, 1997, ABOUT 1420 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, N9571, A BELL 47G HELICOPTER, OPERATED BY THE OWNER/PILOT, IMPACTED TERRAIN AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING LANDING NEAR WELLPINIT, WASHINGTON. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR 91. ACCORDING TO AN OFFICER WITH THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS WHO ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED. THE OFFICER STATED THAT THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A GRAVEL BAR ON A BANK OF THE SPOKANE RIVER. DURING THE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SLIDE ON THE ROCKS AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE SLIDING MOTION. A MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER TUMBLED ONTO THE ROCKS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA97LA191Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWellpinit, WAThe pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing site, and his failure to maintain rotor blade clearance from terrain during landing.Aug 17, 1997 · Substantial damage