20031021032409A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-2A-1 · Balm, FL · October 21, 2003

Date: October 21, 2003 · 11:41 local
Place: Balm, FL
Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N73979
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA04FA008
Reported as: Bell 47G2A1
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2

N73979Registration cancelled Nov 17, 2014 · Bell 47G-2A-1S/N 2875 · Built 1963 Airframe modelBell 47G-2A-1 Engine modelLycoming VO-435 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) On October 21, 2003, at 11:41 EDT, a Bell helicopter, BHT-47G-2A1, N73979, registered to central Florida flying service inc., collided with a building while maneuvering at the pilot's/owner's residence in privacy data omitted while on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. There was no flight plan filed for the flight. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured. One bystander on the ground was fatally injured during the accident. The flight originated approximately 20 minutes earlier from the same location.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON OCTOBER 21, 2003, AT 11:41 EDT, A BELL HELICOPTER, BHT-47G-2A1, N73979, REGISTERED TO CENTRAL FLORIDA FLYING SERVICE INC., COLLIDED WITH A BUILDING WHILE MANEUVERING AT THE PILOT'S/OWNER'S RESIDENCE IN ^PRIVACY DATA ^ WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. ONE BYSTANDER ON THE GROUND WAS FATALLY INJURED DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES EARLIER FROM THE SAME LOCATION.

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 MIA04FA008Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportBalm, FLThe pilot's intentional buzzing and his failure to maintain altitude/clearance which resulted in an in-flight collision with a building.Oct 21, 2003 · Destroyed

Other reports on N73979 · 1

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

Accident 19790506007299ALow Level Operations · Weatherly, PAHelicopter struck powerlines during low level surveillance.May 6, 1979 · Destroyed