# NTSB LAX93LA209: Bell 47-G2, N1437, Antarctica, April 28, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 28, 1993, 09:15 local (19:15 UTC) - Place: Antarctica - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 30, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28378 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX93LA209 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28378/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX93LA209 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - planned approach - poor, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON A TUNA BOAT. WHEN IT WAS ABOUT 2-FEET ABOVE THE HELIPAD, THE TUNA BOAT PITCHED UPWARD AND THE FRONT SKID STRUCK THE HELIPAD. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM ASSEMBLY. ## Factual narrative On April 28, 1993 at 0915 Hawaii standard time, a Bell 47G-2, N1437, experienced a hard landing while attempting to land on a tuna boat which was located about 200 miles north west of Western American Samoa. The pilot was conducting a local visual flight rules aerial observation flight. The helicopter, operated by San Diego Fisheries, San Diego,California, sustained substantial damage. The certificated airline transport pilot and the passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from the tuna boat at about 0845 hours. The pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that before departing on the tuna boat the helicopter had been parked at the airport in Pago Pago for about a month. On April 25, 1993, the pilot flew the helicopter in the airport local area. On engine shutdown, the pilot and owner determined that the weights were missing from the vertical stabilizers; they had been relocated on the vertical stabilizer. The pilot and owner also found that the main rotor blade tips began to delaminate. The owner resealed the main rotor blades with a metal epoxy. The subsequent engine run-up revealed no unusual vibrations. The pilot flew the helicopter several times after the repairs were effected, with no problems. On April 28, 1993, the pilot, together with his passenger, departed the tuna boat on a practice flight. When returning to the tuna boat, the pilot was unable to "slow the helicopter down to land" and effected a go-around. The passenger radioed the tuna boat and requested that the boat slow down to about 5 knots. On the second approach the pilot was able to slow the helicopter to about 10 knots, but was unable to bring the helicopter to a hover. During the approach, at about two feet above the helipad, the tuna boat pitched upward and the helicopter front skids collided with the landing pad and landed hard. During the hard landing, the main rotor blade severed the tail boom assembly. The pilot also reported that the examination of the helicopter after it was returned to the airport revealed that the severed main rotor wooden spar contained dry rot and extensive rust. The pilot stated that the rotor blades repairs that the owner effected before departing on the tuna boat were still intact. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1437](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1437-2012-10-11), registration cancelled 2012-10-11, S/N 1374, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 47-G2 - Registry model: [Bell 47G-2](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-2) (registry code 1181008) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TVO-435-GIA](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tvo-435-gia) (registry code 41526, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1374 - Airframe hours: 10355 - Engines: LYCOMING VO-435-AIF 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Operator: San Diego Fisheries - Registered owner: M.V. Raffaello - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 2, 1993, 5 hours before ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 3,500 total, 5 in this make and model, 3,050 as pilot in command, 27 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 10 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930428016079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930428016079A), Apr 28, 1993: Bell 47G2, Pago Pago, American Samoa, Substantial damage. Made hard landing on tuna boat as ship pitched up. Was unable to hover prior impact. Main rotors dry rot and rust. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.