OpenAirDocs.org

19991127047829A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Bell 47G · Coudersport, PA · November 27, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
November 27, 1999 · 16:15 local
Place
Coudersport, PA
Phase of flight
To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N940B
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC00LA044
Reported as
Bell 47G
Reported engine
Franklin 6V335A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
156 total76 in this make and model14 in the last 90 days
N940BRegistration cancelled Sep 11, 2013 · Bell 47GS/N 672 · Built 1952Airframe modelBell 47GEngine modelFranklin 6V4 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot attempted take-off from confined area surrounded by trees with full throttle and began to lose engine RPM. He lowered the collective to maintain his engine RPM at 3100 RPM, but helicopter settled into pine tree after flare to slow forward airspeed. (.4) the pilot with a passenger, landed the helicopter in a clearing that was about 40 feet wide, by 150 feet long, and surrounded by 'very tall trees.' The pilot said he made a normal run-up and lifted the helicopter to a hover. He used full throttle and maintained 3,100 RPM. When the helicopter started to accelerate forward, at about 12-15 knots, the RPM dropped to 3,000 and the pilot lowered collective to keep the RPM from dropping further. The helicopter's main rotor blades contacted a pine tree about 30 feet above the ground. The helicopter then rolled to the left and impacted the ground. The elevation at the accident site was about 1,800 feet Ms. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter's airframe or engine. After the accident, the pilot stated that the helicopter was with-in it's maximum gross weight; however, the helicopter did not have enough powe r available to climb and he should have never landed in the clearing.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED TAKE-OFF FROM CONFINED AREA SURROUNDED BY TREES WITH FULL THROTTLE AND BEGAN TO LOSE ENGINE RPM. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO MAINTAIN HIS ENGINE RPM AT 3100 RPM, BUT HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO PINE TREE AFTER FLARE TO SLOW FORWARD AIRSPEED. (.4) THE PILOT WITH A PASSENGER, LANDED THE HELICOPTER IN A CLEARING THAT WAS ABOUT 40 FEET WIDE, BY 150 FEET LONG, AND SURROUNDED BY 'VERY TALL TREES.' THE PILOT SAID HE MADE A NORMAL RUN-UP AND LIFTED THE HELICOPTER TO A HOVER. HE USED FULL THROTTLE AND MAINTAINED 3,100 RPM. WHEN THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO ACCELERATE FORWARD, AT ABOUT 12-15 KNOTS, THE RPM DROPPED TO 3,000 AND THE PILOT LOWERED COLLECTIVE TO KEEP THE RPM FROM DROPPING FURTHER. THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED A PINE TREE ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE ELEVATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT 1,800 FEET MS. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE HELICOPTER'S AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS WITH-IN IT'S MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT; HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWE R AVAILABLE TO CLIMB AND HE SHOULD HAVE NEVER LANDED IN THE CLEARING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC00LA044Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCoudersport, PAThe pilot's improper preflight planning and decision to attempt a takeoff with the passenger from the confined area.Nov 27, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N940B · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19790617022139ILevel Off Touchdown · Tolland, CTAs collective was lowered, rear landing gear cross tube broke at both sides of the fuselage.Jun 17, 1979 · Minor damage