- Date
- July 23, 1987, 17:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Huntsville, AL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N972BBell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 24, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870723037559A
- Case key
- 7492
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 impacted the water during a low-altitude turn over a river. The plt made a low pass to the south over an island at about 30 ft AGL, to show the island to the policewoman/traffic observer onboard. As he was making a climbing right turn at about 40 KTS IAS to pass back over the island, the acft rolled excessively in the direction of turn and the nose began to 'tuck'. He attempted to correct the situation by applying opposite cyclic only. He did not increase the pwr or add collective pitch. He did not remember if he used any left pedal to assist in counteracting the excessive turning. The acft impacted the water in a slight, right bank attitude, with the nose low. The plt reported that the engine and main rotor rpm's remained 'in the green' during the maneuver.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N972B
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1320
- Airframe hours
- 4,591
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- John L. Lanier, doing business as Valley Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Logan J. Lanier
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 6, 1987 · 56 hours before
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,600 total · 800 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HSV, 3 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 N972B · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.