- Date
- June 11, 1983, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Detroit, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7995JBell 47G5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830611025019A
- Case key
- 12206
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.
In flight collision with object
Object - utility poleFactor
Visual lookout - inadequateCause
Clearance - inadequateCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was assigned a community affairs project to fly a 'ronald mcdonald' clown to a nearby restaurant for a magic show. During the hover in the landing area the rotor blades struck a light pole. The helicopter pitched forward and landed on the bubble canopy.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7995J
- Reported as
- Bell 47G5A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 25051
- Airframe hours
- 4,376
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-436-B1A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Detroit Police Department
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Detroit, MI
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,784 total · 2,466 in this make and model · 3,533 as pilot in command · 74 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DET, 9 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.