- Date
- August 8, 1986, 08:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Shafter, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1185WBell 47G-4A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860808038149A
- Case key
- 24867
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
Shortly after departing the loading rig, en route to an agricultural aerial application operation, the forward coupling tail rotor drive shaft failed. The helicopter was about 10 ft above ground level and about 100 ft west of the loading rig. The pilot attempted an immediate autorotation but collided with the ground and rolled over. Examination of the wreckage disclosed the coupling sustained extreme high temp distress due to lack of lubrication. The helicopter had flown 178 hours since the last annual/100-hour inspection. A 100-hour inspection is required for the operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1185W
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-4A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7513
- Airframe hours
- 7,723
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Shafter Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 21, 1986 · 178 hours before
- Airport
- MIT · Shafter-Minter Field
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,438 total · 1,438 in this make and model · 2,438 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 31.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BFL, 6 nm away
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 N1185W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.