20040814028089A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-2 · Muncie, IN · August 14, 2004

Date: August 14, 2004 · 15:45 local
Place: Muncie, IN
Airport: Reese Apt
Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N96MB
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI04CA229
Reported as: Bell 47G2
Reported engine: Lycoming VO435*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 583 total69 in this make and model52 in the last 90 days

N96MBRegistration cancelled Apr 24, 2007 · Bell 47G-2S/N 2443 · Built 1958 Airframe modelBell 47G-2 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 August 14, 2004 at 1545 EST, a Bell BHT-47-G2, N96MB, registered to gerald m. conley lost engine power and made an autorotation to Reese airport, Muncie, Indiana, while on a pleasure flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. No flight plan was filed. The helicopter was severely damaged on the autorotative landing but the pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight originated on property owned by the academy of model aeronautics adjacent to Reese airport approximately 767 feet from the crash site.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON AUGUST 14, 2004 AT 1545 EST, A BELL BHT-47-G2, N96MB, REGISTERED TO GERALD M. CONLEY LOST ENGINE POWER AND MADE AN AUTOROTATION TO REESE AIRPORT, MUNCIE, INDIANA, WHILE ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED ON THE AUTOROTATIVE LANDING BUT THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ON PROPERTY OWNED BY THE ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICS ADJACENT TO REESE AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 767 FEET FROM THE CRASH SITE.

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 CHI04CA229Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportMuncie, INThe engine failure for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's inability to properly level-off for landing due to the low rotor speed, which resulted in the hard landing. The low altitude where the engine failure occurred was a factor.Aug 14, 2004 · Destroyed

Other reports on N96MB · 1

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

Accident 20000527004669ATo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Ft Walton Beach, FLPIC reported lost power during takeoff from a private strip on fort Walton Beach, FL. His intent was to fly two passengers on a sight-seeing flight over the gulf of Mexico. The PIC made an emergency landing, in the gulf, just behind the gulfarium (off hwy 98…May 27, 2000 · Substantial damage