- Date
- October 11, 1990, 10:58 local (17:58 UTC)
- Place
- Merced, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N477JMBell 47G4
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901011045159A
- Case key
- 27041
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
Loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
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
After washing the helicopter the pilot took-off on a business flight over his ranch. A ground witness heard the engine stop and observed the helicopter enter an autorotative descent. The helicopter landed hard and burst into flames. The witness estimated the helicopters altitude was about 50 feet above the ground when he first observed it. Post accident exam of the helicopter and engine revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N477JM
- Reported as
- Bell 47G4
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3139
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-B1B3, 240 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- John W. Myers
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
- 79
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °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.