- Date
- August 21, 1982, 19:15 local (Aug 22, 1982, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Washington, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N73205Bell 47G-2A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 21, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820821043459A
- Case key
- 72966
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 was being air taxied to the refueling location when it crashed. The pilot said he had lifted off and was about 6 ft AGL with about 20 KTS forward speed when he suddenly felt a snap and the cyclic went full left. The helicopter became uncontrollable and flew into the ground. An investigation revealed that a bolt, pn 20-057-4-16D, used to secure the lateral servo to the airframe, was not in place. According to the pilot, the nut was not properly secured after maintenance was performed on the lateral cyclic control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73205
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2695
- Airframe hours
- 4,931
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 240 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Washington Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Joe Timmins
- Departed
- Washington, IA
- Destination
- Washington, IA
- Airport
- C61 · Washington Municipal
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 2,300 total · 280 in this make and model · 2,010 as pilot in command · 175 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
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 N73205 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.