- Date
- August 7, 1987, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Orlando, FL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8523FBell 47J-2A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 7, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870807047339A
- Case key
- 31952
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
During the apch to land the tail rotor drive assy failed resulting in a momentary loss of control. The plt then autorotated & landed on the company helipad, during which the helicopter sustained substantial damage. Examination of the tail rotor drive assy revealed that the fwd short shaft failed torsionally aprx 2 inches aft of the transmission drive coupling due to a lack of lubrication in it. The failure occurred at aprx 40' AGL.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8523F
- Reported as
- Bell 47J-2A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3317
- Airframe hours
- 6,965
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-BIB3, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dolphin Helicopter Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 18, 1987 · 44 hours before
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 26
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 950 in this make and model · 100 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCO, 5 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 N8523F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.