- Date
- January 3, 1995, 15:35 local (20:35 UTC)
- Place
- Bunnell, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6172Bell 47G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950103000129A
- Case key
- 37719
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 pilot's failure to maintain altitude while descending over a lake, resulting in an in-flight collision with water.
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 commercial pilot stated he made a descent over a lake, misjudged his altitude, and inadvertently flew the helicopter into the water.
Factual narrative
On January 3, 1995, about 1535 eastern standard time, a Bell 47G, N6172, registered to Erick E. Fenz, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, flew into Lake Gore while descending. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries, and the pilot rated passenger was not injured. The flight originated from Flagler County Airport, Bunnell, Florida, about 5 minutes before the accident.
The pilot stated he made a descent over Lake Gore, misjudged his altitude, and inadvertently flew the helicopter into the water.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6172
- Reported as
- Bell 47G
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 687
- Airframe hours
- 10,190
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4200, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Fenz, Erik E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 17, 1994 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- X-47 · FL
- Flight plan
- Unknown
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 520 total · 385 in this make and model · 400 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAB, 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.