- Date
- March 24, 1992, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pikeville, KY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2831BBell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 7, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11776
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
Delamination and subsequent failure of a main rotor blade.
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.
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Rotor system,main rotor blade - delaminationCause
Rotor system,main rotor blade - failure,totalCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Analysis
The pilot was practicing landings. He reported that the helicopter was about 20 feet AGL, when he began losing cyclic control. He said the canopy (bubble) shattered and the helicopter hit the ground and rolled over on its left side. An examination revealed separation of the wood composed main rotor blade. Inspection of the blade revealed that it was delaminated and contained moisture.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2831B
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1486
- Airframe hours
- 5,440
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sammy D. Goff
- Registered owner
- Sammy D. Goff
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Airport
- 7K0 · Pikeville Hatcher County
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 400 in this make and model · 9,500 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JKL, 1 nm away