# Accident 19980103000069A: Bell 47D1, Bunnell, FL, January 3, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 3, 1998, 08:40 local time
- Place: Bunnell, FL
- Airport: Flagler County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.4609° N, 81.2503° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.4609&lon=-81.2503&mi=10
- Aircraft: N59326, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59326-2005-06-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47D1 (registry code 1180802, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47d1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Franklin 6V4 series (registry code 27033, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6v4-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47D1
- Reported engine: FRNKLN 6V4200*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 39 total, 39 in this make and model, 37 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA051) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980103000069A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 MIA98LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA051), Jan 3, 1998: Bell 47D1 (N59326), Bunnell, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the student pilot's improper planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing.

## Other reports on N59326 (1)

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

- [Accident 19790619011539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790619011539A), Jun 19, 1979: Bell 47D1 (N59326), Hanover, PA, Destroyed. Struck wires during spray run.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.