- Date
- November 23, 1990, 13:53 local (18:53 UTC)
- Place
- Matoaca, VA
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8514PBell 47J2A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11649
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 failure of four propeller retention and the pilot's misjudgement of the forced landing approach.
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 reported he was en route when the engine began running rough. Shortly afterwards, the engine lost power completely. An autorotation landing was made in a plowed field where the acft was substantially damaged. Examination of the acft revealed the left fuel tank was one-third full and the right tank was empty. The left fuel tank vent was obstructed with mud.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8514P
- Reported as
- Bell 47J2A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3313
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Arthur J. Pryor
- Departed
- NONE · Lexington Park, MD
- Destination
- PTB · Petersburg, VA
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
- 60
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,400 total · 50 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RIC