- Date
- February 2, 1987, 09:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Stockton, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N28938Bell 47G4A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870202002229A
- Case key
- 25333
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
Just after takeoff, the engine experienced a power loss while transporting agricultural equipment. A fractographic examination of the failed fuel disconnect fitting by anamet laboratories, concluded that approximately 70% of the retaining ring on the fuel disconnect fitting had fractured by metal fatigue. The fatigue crack was present prior to the crash; however, it could not be determined whether the fracture may have caused partial closing of the disconnect valve in the fitting. This could cut off the fuel supply during operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N28938
- Reported as
- Bell 47G4A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7728
- Airframe hours
- 6,012
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-B1B3, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Gary Michael Eccles
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 30, 1987 · 2 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
- 39
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 935 total · 726 in this make and model · 714 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °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 N28938 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.