- Date
- February 21, 1988, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Nixa, MO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7735Bell 47D1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 7, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880221004959A
- Case key
- 34485
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 process of moving the helicopter from the hangar the right skid slipped off the concrete helipad and became stuck in the mud. The pilot attempted to dislodge the skid by bringing the aircraft to a hover. The left skid became airborne and contacted the pad several times according to a witness. As the skid became dislodged the pilot lost control of the aircraft, the aircraft rolled and contacted the terrain. The aircraft came to rest on its right side. The aircraft was destroyed by impact and post-impact fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7735
- Reported as
- Bell 47D1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- K8117
- Engine
- Franklin 6V-335-A, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Steve Moore
- Registered owner
- Versatile Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 3, 1984
- Airport
- Private Strip
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
- 24
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 900 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SGF, 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 N7735 · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.