- Date
- September 3, 1982, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Waconia, MN
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N58077Bell 47G-5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 3, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820903043999A
- Case key
- 72936
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
Just prior to the flight, the helicopter had been released by the maintenance section after troubleshooting a squawk concerning a "binding collective." The student and instructor (CFI) departed on a local flight and flew about an hour practicing precision hovering and rapid decelerations. During the rapid deceleratins, the aircrew felt a binding condition in the collective and made a note to inform the maintenance section. After the last rapid deceleration, a climb was made to 1500 ft MSL. While rolling level from a turn at 45 to 50 mph, the aircraft shook violently, a loud "bank" was heard and the helicopter began a descent as if the collective had been slammed to the bottom. With the collective full up, engine and rotor RPM over the green arc, the helicopter descended as if it were in a full autorotation. Cyclic and antitorque pedals were used to avoid power lines, but the main rotor struck a tree and the helicopter crashed and burned. Only overload failure was found in the collective components.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N58077
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-5A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 25109
- Airframe hours
- 1,756
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-B1A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Flight Training Center Inc.
- Registered owner
- Flight Training Center Inc.
- Departed
- Eden Prairie, MN
- Destination
- Eden Prairie, MN
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 2,592 total · 94 in this make and model · 2,297 as pilot in command · 131 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 163 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MSP
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.