# Accident 19980509008539A: Bell 47G2, Fort Walton Bea, FL, May 9, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 9, 1998, 15:00 local time
- Place: Fort Walton Bea, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.4195° N, 86.6109° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4195&lon=-86.6109&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6714D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6714D-2018-05-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-2 (registry code 1181008, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming VO-435 series (registry code 41525, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-435-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G2
- Reported engine: LYC VO435A1D
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,900 total, 800 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA154) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980509008539A

## Narrative

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

ENGINE QUIT FLLYING OFFSHORE. DITCHED IN SHALLOW GULF WATER. ENGINE TO BE TORN DOWN. FL.  (.4) ON MAY 9, 1998, ABOUT 1500 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47G-2, N6714D, REGISTERED TO PENGUIN-AIR HELICOPTERS, INC., DITCHED IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, NEAR FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD REFUELED THE HELICOPTER AND HAD ABOUT 20 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD COMPLETED GIVING THREE RIDES. WHILE ON THE FOURTH RIDE, OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO NEAR FORT WALTON BEACH, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 500-600 FEET, THE ENGINE FAILED. HE ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND TOUCHED DOWN IN 4-5 FEET OF WATER. THE WAVES CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO ROLL OVER TO THE RIGHT AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE WATER AND STOPPED. HE AND THE TWO PASSENGERS THEN EXITED THE HELICOPTER.                             EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY A MECHANIC, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF AN FAA INSPECTOR, SHOWED THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY ROTATED AND CONTINUITY OF THE CRANKSHAFT, VALVE TRAIN, AND ALL NECESSARY DRIVES GEARS WAS CONFIRMED. THE MAGNETO SWITCH OPERATED NORMALLY AND EACH MAGNETO ROTATED. THE MAGNETOS WOULD NOT FIRE DUE TO WATER DAMAGE. THE CARBURETOR WAS OPENED AND ALL PORTS WERE FOUND UNOBSTRUCTED. ALL AIRFRAME AND ENGINE FUEL LINES WERE UNOBSTRUCTED. (-23) ENGINE QUIT APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS OF SHORE. PILOT CHOSE TO DITCH APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS OFFSHORE IN SHALLOW WATER AS BEACH WAS CROWDED WITH PEOPLE.

## 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 MIA98LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA154), May 9, 1998: Bell 47G-2 (N6714D), Fort Walton Bch, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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.