20060918018859A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G · Vallecito, CA · September 18, 2006

Date: September 18, 2006 · 08:00 local
Place: Vallecito, CA
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7762
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX06CA296
Reported as: Bell 47G
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 600 total500 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N7762Registered now · Bell-K-Copter 47GS/N K931 · Built 1969 Airframe modelBell-K-Copter 47G Engine modelFranklin 6A4200 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 states that he was on a title 14 CFR part 91 photo flight. After the photographer had taken his pictures the pilot states that he asked his passenger if he needed a rest relief. He states he told the passenger it was an hour back to the airport. The passenger agreed that a rest relief would be ok. The pilot states that he made a high reconnaissance and a low reconnaissance. During the steep approach he states that the wind shifted and he lost effective translational lift (etl). The pilot then applied forward cyclic and raised the collective and added more power. It appears that the pilot then entered a vortex ring state and entered into setting with power with a resulting crash.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATES THAT HE WAS ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PHOTO FLIGHT. AFTER THE PHOTOGRAPHER HAD TAKEN HIS PICTURES THE PILOT STATES THAT HE ASKED HIS PASSENGER IF HE NEEDED A REST RELIEF. HE STATES HE TOLD THE PASSENGER IT WAS AN HOUR BACK TO THE AIRPORT. THE PASSENGER AGREED THAT A REST RELIEF WOULD BE OK. THE PILOT STATES THAT HE MADE A HIGH RECONNAISSANCE AND A LOW RECONNAISSANCE. DURING THE STEEP APPROACH HE STATES THAT THE WIND SHIFTED AND HE LOST EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT (ETL). THE PILOT THEN APPLIED FORWARD CYCLIC AND RAISED THE COLLECTIVE AND ADDED MORE POWER. IT APPEARS THAT THE PILOT THEN ENTERED A VORTEX RING STATE AND ENTERED INTO SETTING WITH POWER WITH A RESULTING CRASH.

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 LAX06CA296Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAngels Camp, CAa hard landing due to the pilot's inadequate compensation for a wind shift encountered on final approach and his failure to maintain an adequate translational lift airspeed.Sep 18, 2006 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7762 · 3

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

Accident 20240627008979ALanding: Touchdown · Fallon, NVWhile hovering over the landing cart pilot stated that he began to mismanage the flight controls. By overcontrolling the helicopter, the pilot lost control resulting in the aircraft crashing approximately 25 yards from the landing cart and rolling inverted.…Jun 27, 2024 · Destroyed Accident 19781001033089APwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft · Saginaw, MIConditions suitable for dynamic rollover.Oct 1, 1978 · Reported as Bell 47B3 · Substantial damage Accident 19750408005549ALow Level Operations · Arlington, TXDrying ball fld.Apr 8, 1975 · Substantial damage