- Date
- July 4, 1984, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Detroit, MI
- Injuries
- 3 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- CFISHBell 47G2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 12685
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
The acft landed in the Detroit river after the engine sputtered and the acft vibrated. The plt reduced pwr & collective and pushed the cyclic forward. The RPM reduced from 3000 to 2500 but the rotor and engine RPM remained married. The plt adjusted descent with collective, forward speed with cyclic and pulled all collective just prior to impact. The acft was at about 150 ft AGL when the engine sputtered. One passenger described a sputtering noise but said the engine was running until impact. Another passenger described the engine noise as a muffled misfiring sound. The passengers alsosaid the plt did not mention the problem to them and the helicopter seemed under control until impact. Post accident examination of the engine after recovery from the water showed that the spark plugs were worn and contained a heavy build-up of carbon and lead. Near the operators hanger were 5 sealed and 1 unsealed fuel drums with standing water on the tops. No other evidence was found to indicate any malfunction of the acft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CFISH
- Reported as
- Bell 47G2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1522
- Airframe hours
- 11,482
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1E, 240 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Arrow Smith Limited
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 17, 1984 · 59 hours before
- Airport
- DET · Detroit City
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 218 total · 218 in this make and model · 147 as pilot in command · 122 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DET, 6 nm away