- Date
- September 27, 1983, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Catarina, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N79195Bell 47G4A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 21485
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 helicopter collided with the platform on a trailer during a practice landing. The plt was not satisfied with the acft position on the platform and in attempting to re-position the helicopter rocked and hit the tail rotor against the trailer. Lost of anti-torque control caused the acft to touch down in a downwind yaw and collapsed the right landing skid. The acft rolled over to the right and burned. The wind was from 100 degrees at 10 KTS gusting to 20 KTS.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N79195
- Reported as
- Bell 47G4A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7568
- Airframe hours
- 7,337
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-B1B3, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sabre Helicopters Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 29, 1983 · 60 hours before
- Flight plan
- VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 10,772 total · 57 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg