- Date
- August 5, 1988, 19:14 local (23:14 UTC)
- Place
- Dowagiac, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2838BBell 47J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880805030699A
- Case key
- 13903
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure to maintian adequate rotor RPM by the unqualified pilot.
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 private pilot with an airplane single engine land rating was reported to be on his first self-familiarization flight in this make & model of helicopter. He reported that after taking off, he flew about 1/2 mile & started a turn, then the engine began losing power. Subsequently, the helicopter settled into trees and was damaged. There were indications that the engine was still providing power as the main rotor blades contacted small trees during the landing. An investigation revealed the last annual inspection was dated 8/22/85. Rat nest material was found in the air filter in sufficient quantity to almost completely block the flow of air. Also, the pilot's last medical certificate was dated 1/2/86. Auto fuel was found in the fuel tanks & carburetor.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2838B
- Reported as
- Bell 47J
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1434
- Airframe hours
- 11,760
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chester Ruminer
- Registered owner
- Allen Construction Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 22, 1985
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 740 total · 700 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SBN, 18 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.