# NTSB LAX96LA287: Bell 47-G5, N7885S, Lost Hills, CA, July 23, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 23, 1996, 10:45 local (17:45 UTC) - Place: Lost Hills, CA - Coordinates: 35.53997, -118.910873 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5400&lon=-118.9109&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 25, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29521 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX96LA287 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29521/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA287 ## Probable cause improper installation of the carburetor air box. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb - carburetor heat,air box - obstructed (cause) - maintenance,installation - improper, other maintenance personnel (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing - Hard landing, emergency landing ## Analysis The pilot landed to take on enough fuel to ferry the helicopter back to the home base. After liftoff at 100 to 150 feet agl he lost all engine power. A postaccident examination revealed that the carburetor air box had been installed with the wrong gasket and mispositioned so that one of four attachment bolts was missing. The gasket was partially ingested into the carburetor throat along with a foreign material determined to be a dusting product that coated the carburetor throat area through the gasket void. ## Factual narrative On July 23, 1996, about 1045 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 47-G5, N7885S, was substantially damaged during landing after a power loss near Lost Hills, California. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the agricultural spraying operation and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Shafter, California, at 0700 on the morning of the accident. The pilot landed to take on enough fuel to ferry the helicopter back to the home base. After liftoff at 100 to 150 feet agl he lost all engine power. An FAA inspector conducted a postaccident examination of the engine. The examination determined there was adequate fuel onboard at the time of the accident. The engine was test run with noted roughness. The carburetor was removed for inspection and an incorrect gasket was found between the carburetor and the air box. The incorrect gasket had been improperly installed with one of the four mounting bolts/cap screws missing. The gasket had been ingested into the carburetor throat. Additionally, there was foreign matter that was ingested through the gasket void and coated the carburetor throat. The material was determined to be a chemical powder used in agricultural spraying. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7885S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7885S), registered now, S/N 7873, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 47-G5 - Registry model: [Bell 47G-5](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-5) (registry code 1181032) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming VO-435 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-435-series) (registry code 41525, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 7873 - Airframe hours: 3757 - Engines: Lycoming VO-435-B1A 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Diane Conradi - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 9, 1996, 60 hours before - Departed: NONE, LOST HILLS, CA - Destination: SHAFTER, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,500 total, 600 in this make and model, 2,400 as pilot in command, 102 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KBF ## 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 19960723019589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960723019589A), Jul 23, 1996: Bell 47G5, Lost Hills, CA, Substantial damage. Lost power on takeoff after fuel stop. Carburetor improperly installed and contaminated from spray chemicals. ## Other investigations on N7885S (1) 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. - [NTSB LAX00LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA280), Jul 28, 2000: Bell 47G-5 (N7885S), King City, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's intentional flight into adverse weather which resulted in loss of visual reference and flight into power transmission wires and terrain. 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.