- Date
- February 1, 1995, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- El Indio, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6SRBell 47G-4A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950201001019A
- Case key
- 19347
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
The loss of tail rotor effectiveness. A factor was the gusty right quartering tailwind.
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, being used for predator control, was 25 feet above the ground and was chasing a bobcat. The pilot said a right quartering tailwind gust caused the helicopter to lose tail rotor effectiveness and it began spinning to the right. The pilot increased collective and throttle in an attempt to regain airspeed, but this caused the main rotor RPM to droop and altitude was insufficient to allow the helicopter to regain airspeed by lowering the nose. The pilot then reduced collective to regain RPM, but the helicopter continued to spin and impacted the terrain.
Factual narrative
On February 1, 1995, approximately 1500 central standard time, a Bell 47G-4A, N6SR, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering near El Indio, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot and one passenger were not injured, but a second passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The following is based on the pilot/operator report. The helicopter was being used for predator control and was chasing a bobcat about 25 feet above the ground. The pilot said a right quartering tailwind gust caused the helicopter to lose tail rotor effectiveness and it began spinning to the right. He increased collective and throttle in an attempt to regain airspeed, but this caused the main rotor RPM to droop and altitude was insufficient to allow the helicopter to regain airspeed by diving. He then reduced collective to regain RPM, but the helicopter continued to spin and impacted the terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6SR
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-4A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7516
- Airframe hours
- 15,926
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-B1B3, 280 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Smith Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · December 7, 1994 · 31 hours before
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
- 45
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,000 total · 800 in this make and model · 8,000 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °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 N6SR · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.