- Date
- March 21, 1987, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Odessa, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N62462Bell 47G-3B-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 22282
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
Investigation reveals the helicopter touched down on the heel of its skids, left skid first, and at a slightly low rotor RPM. The tail boom then moved upward while the main rotor blades flexed downward. The main rotor blades contacted and severed the tail boom, allowing the tail rotor assembly to fall to the ground. Fresh marks were noted on the main rotor hub assembly where it had banged against the main rotor droop stops.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62462
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3756
- Engine
- Lycoming O-435-25A, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ector County Tx Sheriffs Dept
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 13, 1987 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- E02 · Odessa, TX
- Destination
- E02 · Odessa, TX
- Airport
- E02 · Odessa/Schlemeyer
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 119 total · 82 in this make and model · 65 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MAF, 11 nm away