- Date
- August 14, 2004, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Muncie, IN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N96MBBell 47G2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Indianapolis-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040814028089A
- Case key
- 60126
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 engine failure for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's inability to properly level-off for landing due to the low rotor speed, which resulted in the hard landing. The low altitude where the engine failure occurred was a factor.
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 was damaged when it impacted terrain during an attempted forced landing following a complete loss of engine power. The helicopter had just taken off and was at 50 feet altitude and 45 miles per hour when the pilot heard two loud "bangs" followed by a complete loss of power. The pilot stated that he performed an autorotation to a flat area near the airport. He stated that as he "approached touchdown [he] raised collective to cushion the impact but with so little altitude an autorotation gave very little rotor speed." He stated that the helicopter struck the ground in a level attitude while moving forward, the skids collapsed and the helicopter broke apart. No defects were found with respect to the helicopter's engine.
Factual narrative
On August 14, 2004, about 1500 eastern standard time, a Bell 47G2 helicopter, N96MB, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed when it impacted the ground during an attempted forced landing. The helicopter was on initial climb after takeoff when it experienced a loss of engine power. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot and his one passenger were not injured. The helicopter had just departed the Reese Airport, Muncie, Indiana, for a local flight.
The pilot reported that he had taken off from the Reese Airport and had made a turn to parallel the runway when he heard two loud "bangs" from the engine after which the engine stopped producing power. The pilot stated that he was at 50 feet and 45 miles per hour when the power loss occurred. The pilot stated that he performed an autorotation to a flat area near the airport. He stated that as he "approached touchdown [he] raised collective to cushion the impact but with so little altitude an autorotation gave very little rotor speed." He stated that the helicopter struck the ground in a level attitude while moving forward, the skids collapsed and the helicopter broke apart.
A postaccident examination of the helicopter was conducted. During the examination, the engine was found to rotate. The engine produced compression on all cylinders when rotated by hand. No further components of the engine were tested.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N96MB
- Reported as
- Bell 47G2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2443
- Airframe hours
- 11,712
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gerald M. Conley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 23, 2004 · 75 hours before
- Departed
- 7I2 · Muncie, IN
- Destination
- MIE · Muncie, IN
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 507 total · 68 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
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 N96MB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.