- Date
- July 24, 1983, 20:45 local (Jul 25, 1983, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Cumberland, KY
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9046ABell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830724039679A
- Case key
- 6138
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 plt was conducting local sightseeing flts from a school parking lot. The lot was about 75 yds by 35 yds. On the sidenear a highway there is a six-foot chain link fence the plt had to clear during each takeoff. After boarding the pax theplt hovered momentarily to get the feel of the load & decided to continue the takeoff. After clearing the fence & accelerating into translational lift, the acft settled & impacted the highway & rolled over shattering the m/r blades. The acft was about 20 lbs above the alternate loading limit (cabin doors removed.)
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9046A
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 655-8
- Airframe hours
- 11,502
- Engine
- Lycoming V0-435, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- William A. Fuller
- Registered owner
- Harlan County Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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
- 55
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,150 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 9,090 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LOZ, 52 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.