- Date
- May 7, 1988, 17:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cortez, CO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8455EBell 47G-3B1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880507023589A
- Case key
- 17365
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 plt said that he had just taken off and reached an alt of about 300 ft when his collective control went 'limp'. The helicopter entered a descent, partially controlled by the plt using throttle and cyclic control inputs. The helicopter touched down in soft mud. The helicopter rocked forward and then aft causing the main rotor blades to sever the tail boom and also strike the ground. A post accident fire erupted destroying the helicopter. Several broken parts were examined at a lab. There was no evidence of fatigue or corrosion on the fractured surfaces.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8455E
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2658
- Airframe hours
- 7,262
- Engine
- Lycoming TVO-435-A1A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stocks, Kenneth M.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 1, 1988 · 22 hours before
- Destination
- Delores, CO
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
- 56
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 800 total · 300 in this make and model · 695 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8455E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.