- Date
- September 20, 1997, 16:32 local (20:32 UTC)
- Place
- Mcgee, MS
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N90485Bell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970920039619A
- Case key
- 3905
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
fuel starvation, while in maneuvering flight, due to the pilot's improper planning/decision.
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
According to the pilot, he was circling over the house of one of the passengers in about a 50 degree bank angle, when the engine lost power. He stated he immediately executed an autorotation and headed for a hay field. As he turned past trees, the pilot noticed a utility pole and wires. He maneuvered to climb over the obstructions, but the tail boom struck the wires, the controls shuddered, and the helicopter banked to the left. The pilot stated that he leveled off about 20 feet above the ground, then landed in the hay field. Postaccident investigation showed minimal fuel in the tanks.
Factual narrative
On September 20, 1997, about 1632 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G-2, N90485, struck power lines during an autorotation, in McGee, Mississippi. The helicopter was owned by Pegasus Aircraft Leasing, Inc., and operated by the commercial pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan was filed for the local, sightseeing flight. The pilot and two passengers were not injured, and the helicopter was substantially damaged.
According to the pilot, he was circling over the house of the passengers at about a 50 degree bank when the engine quit. He said he immediately executed an autorotation and attempted a restart. The engine was cranking but failed to start. The pilot stated he headed for a hay field and was turning past some trees when he saw a utility pole and wires. While attempting to climb over the wires, the tail boom struck the wire. The pilot said he felt the controls shudder and the helicopter banked to the left. At about 20 feet above the ground the helicopter leveled and landed in the hay field.
According to a passenger, the pilot indicated that he had 1/8 tank of fuel and was planning on refueling after the flight. The passenger said the pilot believed he had about 15 minutes of fuel on board with 5 minutes of time remaining on the flight.
The Deputy Sheriff who arrived at the scene stated he checked the fuel by placing a stick in the fuel tanks. The right fuel tank showed 1/8 of an inch of fuel and the left tank showed 4 inches of fuel. According to the pilot, the helicopter was in a nose down attitude due to damage to the landing gear. The helicopter holds 43 gallon of fuel with 2 gallons unusable fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90485
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 696
- Engine
- Lycoming O-435, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Louis E. Mccarthy
- Registered owner
- Pegasus Aircraft Leasing Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 18, 1997 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- MS
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 411 total · 212 in this make and model · 340 as pilot in command · 117 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.