- Date
- July 30, 1994, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6749DBell 47G-2A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940730024399A
- Case key
- 28813
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
The pilot's failure to refuel appropriately, the altitude and airspeed at the time the engine stoppage occurred were factors in the accident.
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
The pilot stated that he had just finished an application run and was in the process of pulling up and turning right when the engine sputtered briefly and quit. While at an altitude of approximately 40 feet and an airspeed of 40 knots, the pilot initiated an autorotation. The aircraft touched down hard and the main rotor blade struck the tail boom. According to a company mechanic, there was approximately 1 quart of fuel remaining in the tank. After the aircraft was recovered and refueled, the engine started and ran normally on the first attempt.
Factual narrative
On July 30, 1994, at 1030 hours mountain standard time, a Bell 47G-2A, N6749D, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on the Salt River Indian Reservation, Scottsdale, Arizona. The aircraft was operated by San Tan Dusters, Inc., and was conducting agricultural operations under 14 CFR Part 137 of Federal Aviation Regulations. Visual meteorological conditions were prevalent at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. The flight originated from an improvised loading site on the Salt River Indian Reservation at 0500 on the day of the accident.
The pilot stated that he had flown the aircraft the day before and during one flight had heard the engine sputter. As a precaution, he landed, checked the fuel, and verified that he still had approximately 5 or 6 gallons of fuel on board.
The pilot stated that he had just finished an application run and was in the process of pulling up and turning right when the engine sputtered briefly and quit. While at an altitude of approximately 40 feet and an airspeed of 40 knots, the pilot initiated an autorotation to the ground. The pilot stated that the aircraft touched down hard, at which time the main rotor blade flexed downward striking the tail boom. The pilot exited the aircraft unassisted.
According to the to height/velocity diagram obtained from Bell Helicopter for the 47G-2A model, the engine stoppage occurred at an airspeed and altitude unsafe for autorotative landings.
According to a company mechanic who performed a postaccident inspection of the aircraft, there was approximately 1 quart of fuel remaining in the tank. After the aircraft was recovered, the engine was refueled. The engine started and ran normally on the first attempt.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6749D
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2240
- Airframe hours
- 14,277
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Joe Henderson, doing business as San Tan Dusters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Ag Aero Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 30, 1994 · 60 hours before
- Destination
- NONE · Chandler, AZ
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
- 54
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,146 total · 6,800 in this make and model · 14,841 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 150 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PHX, 10 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 N6749D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.