- Date
- June 1, 1982, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- New Philadelphi, OH
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2988WBell 47G-5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820601020139A
- Case key
- 71990
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
While patrolling a powerline, the pilot heard a loud noise, similar to a gunshot, which seemed to come from directly behind the firewall. Immediately after that, the helicopter started to pitch up and roll to the right. He reported that the helicopter reached an attitude of about 60 degrees nose up and 15 degrees to the right. He closed the throttle and lowered the collective, then entered an autorotative descent. With the lateral cyclic control apparently not affected, he was able to steer clear of the powerlines, but crash landed in the trees. The pilot reported a failure of a bolt, pn 20-057-4-15D, in the fore/aft cyclic system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2988W
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-5A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 25069
- Airframe hours
- 2,758
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-B1A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Aero Patrols, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Aero Patrols, Inc.
- Departed
- Canton, OH
- Destination
- Canton, OH
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 4,322 total · 2,129 in this make and model · 3,707 as pilot in command · 233 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 162 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N2988W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.