- Date
- January 19, 1983, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2822BBell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19830119001209A
- Case key
- 4095
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The helicopter made a landing during which the tail boom was severed. This was a dual instructional flight and accordingto the instructor, a high reconnaissance was performed before selecting their approach to the pinnacle. The pinnacle is a 3000 foot landing area unobstructed for 360 degrees around the pinnacle and is widely used by helicopter operators forpinnacle practice. The instructor stated that he normally would not do pinnacle work with a full load of fuel. Because the student was ready for a checkride, except for the pinnacle work, the ip elected to do it immediately. He selected anapproach to the west because he said he saw no blowing snow. At 20 feet AGL he noted high sink rate and he added power as he took control, but the helicopter continued to settle with power. The acft hit hard in a level attitude and the tailboom was severed. Investigation immediately after the accident showed blowing snow which indicated a wind from the east.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2822B
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1470
- Airframe hours
- 6,832
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Wilburs Flight Operations
- Registered owner
- Wilburs Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 30, 1982 · 87 hours before
- Departed
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Airport
- MRI · Merrill Field
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 691 total · 45 in this make and model · 45 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 18,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MRI, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2822B · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.