- Date
- December 7, 1985, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kalamazoo, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7763Bell 47G
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851207062649A
- Case key
- 13390
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.
Loss of control - in flight
Weather condition - whiteoutFactor
Unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selectedCause
Terrain condition - snow coveredFactor
Directional control - not maintainedCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Roll over
Analysis
Upon the approach to hover for landing on a snow covered airstrip, dry snow blew up and obscured the pilot's visual references. One skid touched down as the helicopter was moving laterally causing the aircraft to roll over on its side.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7763
- Reported as
- Bell 47G
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- K992
- Airframe hours
- 1,338
- Engine
- Lycoming V0435, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Douglas A. Kitzmiller
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 4, 1985 · 38 hours before
- Departed
- RLA · Mattawan, MI
- Destination
- RLA · Kalamazoo, MI
- Airport
- RLA · Newman'S, runway 18, 2,700 × ft, snow
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,956 total · 5,084 in this make and model · 7,500 as pilot in command · 71 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.