20060704023029A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G2 · Petersburg, WV · July 4, 2006

Date: July 4, 2006 · 12:00 local
Place: Petersburg, WV
Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6738D
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC06CA173
Reported as: Bell 47G2
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 493 total413 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

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 was taking off from field with 2 passengers, giving sightseeing rides. There was a tailwind. There was a loss of rotor RPM after takeoff and the pilot was not going to be able to stay in the air. Pilot picked a spot to do a run on landing and was almost to the spot when a passenger pushed on one of the rudder pedals to brace for the impact. This interference caused the helicopter to land hard and collapse a skid and roll onto its left side. There was minor injuries to the passengers.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS TAKING OFF FROM FIELD WITH 2 PASSENGERS, GIVING SIGHTSEEING RIDES. THERE WAS A TAILWIND. THERE WAS A LOSS OF ROTOR RPM AFTER TAKEOFF AND THE PILOT WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN THE AIR. PILOT PICKED A SPOT TO DO A RUN ON LANDING AND WAS ALMOST TO THE SPOT WHEN A PASSENGER PUSHED ON ONE OF THE RUDDER PEDALS TO BRACE FOR THE IMPACT. THIS INTERFERENCE CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO LAND HARD AND COLLAPSE A SKID AND ROLL ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THERE WAS MINOR INJURIES TO THE PASSENGERS.

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 NYC06CA173Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPetersburg, WVThe passenger's inadvertent interference with the flight controls, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent impact with the ground.Jul 4, 2006 · Substantial damage