19980103000069A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47D1 · Bunnell, FL · January 3, 1998

Date: January 3, 1998 · 08:40 local
Place: Bunnell, FL
Airport: Flagler County Airport
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N59326
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA98LA051
Reported as: Bell 47D1
Reported engine: Franklin 6V4200*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 39 total39 in this make and model37 in the last 90 days

N59326Registration cancelled Jun 15, 2005 · Bell 47D1S/N 45 · Built 1948 Airframe modelBell 47D1 Engine modelFranklin 6V4 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.

Engine stopped 300FT AGL. Dropped to ground. Fuel exhaustion. (-23) helicopter sustained substantial damage, after student pilot on unsupervised solo made autorotation from 700' feet on a soft field west of Flagler County Airport, subsequent to an engine failure. FAA inspection determined fuel exhaustion caused engine failure inflight.

As the FAA filed it

ENGINE STOPPED 300FT AGL. DROPPED TO GROUND. FUEL EXHAUSTION. (-23) HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AFTER STUDENT PILOT ON UNSUPERVISED SOLO MADE AUTOROTATION FROM 700' FEET ON A SOFT FIELD WEST OF FLAGLER COUNTY AIRPORT, SUBSEQUENT TO AN ENGINE FAILURE. FAA INSPECTION DETERMINED FUEL EXHAUSTION CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE INFLIGHT.

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 MIA98LA051Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBunnell, FLthe student pilot's improper planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing.Jan 3, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N59326 · 1

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

Accident 19790619011539ALow Level Operations · Hanover, PAStruck wires during spray run.Jun 19, 1979 · Destroyed