# Accident 19980717027069A: Bell 47G3B1, Olathe, CO, July 17, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 17, 1998
- Place: Olathe, CO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 38.6002° N, 107.9794° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6002&lon=-107.9794&mi=10
- Aircraft: N92HA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G3B1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA315](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA315) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980717027069A

## Narrative

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

(-23)DESPENDING RINSE LOAD ASJACENT TO RUNWAY. MADE 3 CONSECUTIVE PASSES OVER SAME PATH.  WIND CAME UP 7-8 MPH, TURNED INTO PRECEDING PASSES WAKE.  STARTED TO SETTLE,INSUFFICIENT POWER TO OVERCOME DECENT. IMPACTED GROUND WITH LOW FORWARD SPEED, AIRCRAFT TIPPED FORWARD CAUSING TAIL BOOM TO KICK UP INTO MAIN ROTOR.  TAIL BOOM SEVERED LOSS OF DIRECTION AND CONTROL, 90 RIGHT TURN AS GEAR COLLAPSED .  AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON BELLY.  ENGINE SHUT DOWN, ROTOR STOPPED.

## 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 FTW98LA315](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA315), Jul 17, 1998: Bell 47-GB31 (N92HA), Olathe, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning which resulted in an encounter with his own wake turbulence. Related factors were high density altitude and wake turbulence.

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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