# Accident 19980528011249A: Bell 47G, Bunnell, FL, May 28, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 28, 1998, 16:30 local time - Place: Bunnell, FL - Airport: Flagler County Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.4605° N, 81.2505° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.4605&lon=-81.2505&mi=10 - Aircraft: N182JR, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N182JR-2019-10-17) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bell 47G (registry code 1181002, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Franklin 6V4 series (registry code 27033, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6v4-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 47G - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 500 total, 6 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA170](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA170) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980528011249A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON MAY 28, 1998, ABOUT 1630 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47G HELICOPTER, N182JR REGISTERED TO S & J INVESTMENTS, OPERATED BY WING AND ROTOR INTERNATIONAL AS A 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED ON LANDING NEAR BUNNELL, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL RATED CFI AND STUDENT PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM FLAGLER COUNTY AIRPORT, BUNNELL, FLORIDA, AT 1600. THE CFI STATED HE WAS PROVIDING INSTRUCTIONS TO THE STUDENT PILOT ON HOW TO CONDUCT A NORMAL LANDING. HE SAID THAT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL UNTIL THE WIND "....PROBABLY SHIFTED DURING THE APPROACH". HE STATED THAT "....UPON LOOSING E.L.T. (HE) CAME UP WITH THE COLLECTIVE AND THE HELICOPTER SETTLED DOWN WITHOUT ANY REACTION TO THE RATE OF DESCENT." THE CFI ALSO SAID THAT "...THE COLLECTIVE WAS NOT EFFICIENT". ONCE THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN, IT BOUNCED BACK UP. AT THAT MOMENT, THE PILOT AND THE STUDENT HEARD THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRIKING THE TAILBOOM. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID THAT HE VERIFIED THAT NOBODY WAS HURT AND PROCEEDED TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND INSPECT THE DAMAGE. THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW OF THE CFI. DURING THAT INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE STUDENT PILOT HAD BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ANTI TORQUE PEDAL BEING TOO CLOSE TO HIS LEGS, CAUSING A CRAMP. THE CFI DECIDED TO LAND TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATE ADJUSTMENT. ACCORDING TO THE INSPECTORS STATEMENT, WHEN THE HELICOPTER WAS 8 TO 10 FEET OVER TEH GROUND, IT STARTED TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE CFI CLAIMS TO HAVE RESPONDED BY APPLYING PITCH. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL RATED CFI HAD ABOUT 500 HOURS OF ROTARY FLIGHT TIME. HE HAD 5 HOURS OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. THIS WAS THE FIRST INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT IN THE BELL 47 HELICOPTER. THE SURFACE WEATHER OBSERVATION AT DAYTONA BEACH INTERNATIONAL, 19 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF FLAGLER COUNTY AIRPORT, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED WINDS FROM 310 MAGNETIC AT 10 KNOTS. (-23) DURING A NORMAL APPROACH AT APPROXIMATELY 9-10 FEET PRIOR TO LANDING AFTER EFFECTIVE TRANSITIONAL LIFT, AIRCRAFT STARTED TO SINK, COLLECTIVE WASAPPLIED TO CUSHION LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD, BOUNCED AND LANDED HA RD AGAIN CAUSING ROTOR BLADES TO CONTACT AND SEVER TAILBOOM. ## 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 MIA98LA170](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA170), May 28, 1998: Bell 47G (N182JR), Bunnell, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command(CFI) failure to maintain control of the aircraft. ## Other reports on N182JR (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19940419013749I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940419013749I), Apr 19, 1994: Bell 47G (N182JR), Ozark, MO, Minor damage. Student allowed forward speed o get too slow. Yawed left and began to sink. Made a hard landing. - [Accident 19890902033339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890902033339A), Sep 2, 1989: Bell 47G (N182JR), Ozark, MO, Substantial damage. Main front skid brace broke from fatigue on practice autorotation landing. Rotors hit and helicopter rolled over. - [Accident 19841221067639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19841221067639A), Dec 21, 1984: Bell 47G (N182JR), Chatsworth, CA, Destroyed. During hover landing, left skid contacted embankment. Drifted to right and rolled over. Wind also a factor. - [Accident 19800226005179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800226005179A), Feb 26, 1980: Bell 47G (N182JR), Pacoima, CA, Substantial damage. Hit severe downdraft that damaged tail rotor & boom while flying through a mountain pass. Landed safely. 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.