- Date
- August 15, 1994, 14:00 local (Aug 16, 1994, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Truk Island, Micronesia
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N65678Bell 47-G3B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940815021519A
- Case key
- 28828
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 misjudged the clearance between the helicopter's rotor blades and the coconut trees.
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 was executing a steep approach to a confined landing area. The pilot misjudged the helicopter's clearance from the coconut trees and the rotor blades struck the trees.
Factual narrative
On August 15, 1994, at 1400 Hawaii standard time, a Bell helicopter 47-G3B, N65678, crashed during landing in front of the Continental Hotel beach area at Truk Island, Federated States of Micronesia, about 150 miles southeast of Guam. The pilot was conducting a local visual flight rules personal flight. The helicopter, operated by Hansen Helicopters, Tamuning, Guam, sustained substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from a tuna boat operating near the Truk Islands at 1330 hours.
The operator reported in the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that the pilot was executing a steep approach in a confined area on the beach. The area was surrounded with large coconut trees. During the steep approach, the rotor blades struck a coconut tree that tore the transmission and rotor head from the helicopter.
He said the helicopter then descended, uncontrollably, to the ground. The landing area sloped downward and the helicopter rolled over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N65678
- Reported as
- Bell 47-G3B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2766
- Airframe hours
- 5,290
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hansen Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Hansen Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 18, 1994 · 40 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
- 37
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,929 total · 95 in this make and model · 1,841 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 80 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.