- Date
- August 12, 1985, 07:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Big Bear City, CA
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2899BBell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850812041999A
- Case key
- 24795
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
On August 12, 1985, a bell 47G2 helicopter collided with a yucca tree and rolled over during a landing near Big Bear City, CA. The acft sustained substantial damage and the plt and his two passengers were not injured. The purpose of the flight was a aerial observation at an elevation of 7500 feet, but this was not accomplished because of the density altitude. The plt descended to 4500 feet to drop off one passenger in order to lighten the load. During his approach to land the main rotor blades struck the tree and the aircraft rolled over. The plt reported no mechanical problems prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2899B
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1999
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-43, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph Pike & Charles Rhodes
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- APV · Apple Valley, CA
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
- 36
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,709 total · 550 in this make and model · 1,574 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point -0 °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 N2899B · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.