# Accident 19980115000369A: Bell 47G3B1, Magdalena, NM, January 15, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 15, 1998, 15:30 local time
- Place: Magdalena, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.1092° N, 107.2293° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1092&lon=-107.2293&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7901S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7901S-2018-01-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-3B-1 (registry code 1181028, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-3b-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G3B1
- Reported engine: LYC TVO435B1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,877 total, 377 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98TA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98TA099) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980115000369A

## Narrative

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

LOW FLYING FOR COYOTE SURVEY ENCOUNTERED DWONDRAFT UNALBE TO RECOVER STRUCK TERRAIN. (.4)THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PREDATOR CONTROL PROGRAM.  THE PILOT SAID HE AND HIS PASSENGER WERE FLYING NORTH AND ENTERED A DRAW.  THE PREY THEY WERE CHASING (A COYOTE) TURNED EAST AND THEY FLEW OVER IT AT LOW AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE.  THE PILOT WAS HAVING 'TROUBLE MAINTAINING ROTOR RPM.'  WITH HIGHER TERRAIN IN FRONT AND TO HIS LEFT, HE ELECTED TO TURN EAST IN HOPES OF EXITING THE DRAW TO THE SOUTH.  TREES AND ROUGH TERRAIN FORCED HIM TO CONTINUE EASTWARD.  THE PILOT FOUND HIMSELF BELOW A DRAW AND HE PULLED COLLECTIVE CONTROL.  THIS AGGRAVATED THE LOW RPM CONDITION, BUT THE HELICOPTER CLEARED THE RIM.  ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIM, THE GROUND SLOPED DOWN AT A 40 DEGREE ANGLE AND THE PILOT TRIED TO STRETCH HIS DESCENT TOWARDS FLATTER TERRAIN IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE A RUN-ON LANDING.  THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE TERRAIN AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.  THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO WENT TO THE SCENE WROTE, 'THERE IS NO APPARENT REASON FOR THE                                                                                                                                            HELICOPTER TO HAVE LOST RPM. REVIEW OF THE PILOT RECORDS INDICATE ONLY 14 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME IN THE LAST 90 DAYS AND NO TRAINING IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND THE LAST BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW WAS ALMOST 20 MONTHS AGO.'      (-23) THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED TO HUNT COYOTES. WHILE CHASING A COYOTE THE PILOT FLEW LOW LEVEL INTO A SMALL CANYON AND ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE LOST LIFT AND ROTOR RPM. HE USED EVEN MORE RPM TO FLY OVER A RIDGE TO TRY AND LAND IN AN OPEN AREA.  HE CLEARED THE RIDGE BUT THE TAIL ROTOR GUARD STRUCK THE GROUND FORCING THE AIRCRAFT TO PITCH NOSE DOWN THE SKIDS BREAKING THE RIGHT SKID. THE BLADES HIT THE GROUND AND TAIL BOOM  THE HELICOPTER TURNED 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT SKID BROKE.  THE HELICOPTER WAS UPRIGHT/NO FIRE BUT HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NO INJURIES.

## 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 FTW98TA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98TA099), Jan 15, 1998: Bell 47G-3B-1 (N7901S), Magdalena, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm. A factor was a lack of recent experience in the type of operation being performed.

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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