- Date
- August 22, 1985, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Panama City Bch, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4253ABell 47D1
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850822039909A
- Case key
- 31444
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 contacted a fence and slid nose down into a ravine during a forced landing. The plt reported that after takeoff at an alt of 35 to 40 ft AGL, a load bang was heard and gray/white smoke was emitted from the transmission/eng area. The throttle was rolled off and collective lowered for the forced landing. Post accident inspection of the eng revealed 11 spark plugs were misfiring and the right magneto 'p' lead had shorted out on the eng case.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4253A
- Reported as
- Bell 47D1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 100
- Engine
- Franklin 6VS-335A, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cheryl Brown
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,010 total · 900 in this make and model · 1,890 as pilot in command · 400 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TLH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.