- Date
- December 9, 1997, 15:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Bushnell, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N74914Hughes TH-55
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971209037869A
- Case key
- 3953
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
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the trees during a hover. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention.
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 student pilot stated he drifted too close to trees during a hover, and the rotor blades stuck the tree limbs. The helicopter then crashed onto a road. The student pilot stated that he was showing off for his daughter, who was on the ground, and not paying attention to the tree limbs.
Factual narrative
On December 9, 1997, about 1530 eastern standard time, a Hughes TH-55 helicopter, N74914, collided with trees while in a hover near Bushnell, Florida. The helicopter was operated by the student pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan was not filed for the solo, instructional flight. The pilot was not injured, and the helicopter was substantially damaged. Origination of the flight was Brooksville, Florida, about 1330, on the same day.
The student pilot stated he drifted too close to the trees, and the rotor blades struck the tree limbs.
According to the flight instructor, the student allowed the helicopter to drift with wind and contacted trees with the main rotor blades. The helicopter then crashed onto a road.
The FAA inspector stated the pilot said he was showing off for his daughter, who was on the ground, and not paying attention to the tree limbs. After the accident, the pilot received counseling in flight safety and situational awareness.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74914
- Reported as
- Hughes TH-55
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 67-15442
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-B1A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- C E Parish
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BKV · Brooksville, FL
- Destination
- BKV · FL
- Airport
- BKV · Hernando County
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
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 53 total · 46 in this make and model · 34 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BKV, 20 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 N74914 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.