# Accident 19990613007069A: Bell 47G3B1, Austin, MN, June 13, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 13, 1999, 10:00 local time
- Place: Austin, MN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 43.6695° N, 92.9703° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.6695&lon=-92.9703&mi=10
- Aircraft: N64292 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G3B1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA171) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990613007069A

## Narrative

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

1968 BELL 47G-3B-1 HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN AERIAL APPLICATION WHEN IT EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD, AND THE SOFT GROUND CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO NOSE-UP, THE CANOPY BROKE, AND THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON JUNE 13, 1999, AT 1000 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47G-3B-1, N64292, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED NEAR AUSTIN, MINNESOTA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE AERIAL APPLICATION 14 CFR PART 137 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED ABOUT 0945. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN OFF AND ON AND THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. HE SAID THAT HE WAS CONDUCTING A SWATH RUN AT THE TIME AND THE HELICOPTER WAS FLYING ABOUT 40 MPH AT AN ALTITUDE OF 5 TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. HE SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RUN-ON LANDING; HOWEVER, THE SKIDS DUG INTO THE SOFT TERRAIN AND NOSED FORWARD. HE SAID THEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CUT THROUGH THE TAIL BOOM. HE COULD NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE POWER LOSS.      (-23) WHILE SPRAYING SOYBEAN FIELD, ENGINE FAILED. PILOT ATTEMPTED RUN-ON LANDING, SKIDS SUNK IN SOFT GROUND. A/C ROCKED FORWARD, MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED TAIL BOOM. A/C WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT WAS SOLE OCCUPANT AND WAS NOT INJURED.

## 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 CHI99LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA171), Jun 13, 1999: Bell 47G-3B-1 (N64292), Austin, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. Factors associated with the accident were the low altitude of the helicopter, which precluded an emergency autorotation, and the crop field.

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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