- Date
- January 17, 1995, 16:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Natchez, MS
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8462EBell 47G-3B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950117000499A
- Case key
- 37722
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
Inadequate preflight of the helicopter by the pilot for his failure to separate the dolly before attempting flight.
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 pilot stated that he failed to separate the portable transport (dolly) before takeoff. During liftoff, he recognized that the dolly was secured and attempted to land. The helicopter rolled onto its left side, the main rotor blades contacted the ground and severed the tail boom. A post crash fire ensued.
Factual narrative
On January 17, 1995, about 1620 central standard time, a Bell 47G-3B, N8462E, registered to Cherrybark Land and Timber Co., Inc., crashed during takeoff from a private airstrip near Natchez, Mississippi, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was destroyed by a post crash fire and the private-rated pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that before takeoff he failed to separate the ground handling dolly from the helicopter. During liftoff he recognized the dolly was still attached and he attempted to land the helicopter. The helicopter rolled onto its left side. The main rotor blades contacted the ground then severed the tail boom and a fire ensued.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8462E
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2634
- Airframe hours
- 6,877
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-AIA, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tillman, Clifford R.
- Registered owner
- Cherrybark Land & Timber Co.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 16, 1994 · 33 hours before
- Destination
- MS
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 303 total · 132 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HEZ, 16 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 N8462E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.