- Date
- May 30, 1989, 08:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- Keystone Hgts., FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N53SPBell 47G-3B-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890530013449A
- Case key
- 32443
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 tail rotor drive system became disconnected due to a bent tail rotor drive shaft. The trees contributed to the helicopter damage.
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 plt rprtd that while depg on a spraying opn, the helicopter yawed to the rgt & left pedal application would not correct the yaw. He then performed an autorotative landing, subsequently pulling the collective to cushion impact with trees. A post-acdnt exam of the helicopter revealed the tail rotor drive shaft had become bent between the #1 & #2 bearings, allowing the fwd shaft to pull from the coupling.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53SP
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 67-17111
- Engine
- Lycoming TVO-435-G1A, 280 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Valley Air
- Registered owner
- Danny L. Turner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- 42J · Keystone Airpark
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 11,800 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GNV, 15 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 N53SP · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.