- Date
- August 6, 1983, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Moultrie, GA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N68632Bell 47D1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830806039329A
- Case key
- 6156
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
After completing a swath run, the plt pulled up, made a turn, then started a let down for another pass. As he increased power, the eng RPM went from 3000 to 3100. At the same time, the plt heard a whining noise and noted that the rotor RPM was decreasing. The plt was unable to stop the descent before the helicopter struck the ground. After impacting the ground, the helicopter bounced, then rolled over. An exam of the centrifugal clutch assembly, pn 47-620-609-1, revealed it had an estimated 60% contact between the shoe linings and the drum face. A minimum of 85% contact was required. The clutch did not conform to the toe-in requirements and none of the heels of the clutch shoes were making contact with the drum, the helicopter had flown 220 hrs since the last annual inspection when the clutch shoes were deglazed 8 the clutch drum was checked, and it had flown apprx 13 hrs since the last 100 hr inspection.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N68632
- Reported as
- Bell 47D1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- WH 5003
- Airframe hours
- 2,482
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Sunbelt Flyers, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 23, 1983 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- MUL · Moultrie, GA
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 708 total · 280 in this make and model · 550 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABY, 34 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 N68632 · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.