- Date
- November 2, 1995
- Place
- Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean)
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N99138Bell 47G-4A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 11, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951102046959A
- Case key
- 29402
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
failure of the pilot to maintain lateral control of the helicopter, while hovering in preparation for a precautionary landing next to a ship at sea. Factors relating to the accident were: the passenger's premature evacuation from the helicopter, and the resultant lateral imbalance of the helicopter as the passenger jumped.
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 helicopter was being flown from a fishing vessel during a fish spotting operation. The pilot reported that shortly after liftoff from the ship, he experienced a hydraulic failure. The seas were reported as high, and the pilot did not feel he could safely return to the pitching and rolling ship deck without hydraulic assist. He decided to land the float equipped helicopter in the water next to the ship. While hovering just above the water, the spotter unexpectedly jumped out of the helicopter without permission from the pilot. This resulted in a sudden imbalance, and the pilot lost control of the helicopter. The helicopter then rolled over, collided with the water, and sank.
Factual narrative
On November 2, 1995, about 1000 hours local ship time, a Bell 47G-4A helicopter, N99138, collided with the Pacific Ocean about 800 miles east of Guam, MP, while attempting a precautionary return to the tuna fishing vessel MV Milagros Z. The aircraft was operated by Z Fishing Company of Pita, Guam, MP, and was engaged in fish spotting operations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was destroyed. Neither the certificated commercial pilot nor the spotter was injured. The flight originated from the ship about 5 minutes prior to the accident.
The pilot reported to his insurance company adjuster that shortly after liftoff he experienced a hydraulic failure. The seas were reported as high, and the pilot did not feel he could safely return to the pitching and rolling ship deck without hydraulic assist. He decided to land in the water next to the ship. While hovering just above the water, the spotter jumped out of the helicopter without permission from the pilot. The sudden imbalance caused the pilot to lose control of the helicopter and it rolled over, collided with the water and sank.
The pilot did not report the accident to either the Safety Board or to the FAA. The accident was reported by the insurance company adjuster on March 16, 1996. To date, the pilot has not responded to repeated written requests to complete a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99138
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-4A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7750
- Airframe hours
- 5,777
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-B1B3, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Z Fishing Company
- Registered owner
- Big Eye Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 11, 1995 · 25 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
- 32
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 350 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.