- Date
- June 15, 1990, 22:30 local (Jun 16, 1990, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N67223Bell 47G-3B1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900615065769A
- Case key
- 34885
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 failure of the pilot to maintain control of the helicopter during maneuvering flight. Darkness and the pilot's manner of flying the aircraft (ostentatious display) were considered to be related factors.
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 collided with the terrain and a fence, shortly after the pilot took off from a fair ground at night on a sight-seeing flight. A home video recording of the takeoff showed aggressive maneuvering of the helicopter with rapid changes in aircraft attitude, direction, and altitude. A witness reported that after takeoff, the pilot made a turn that 'was not safe,' and then it departed at an altitude of about 50 ft AGL before crashing about 1/8 mi away. Another witness reported that before the accident, the helicopter was flying at low altitude along a road and near a power line. According to him, the helicopter was in proximity of the power line, when it 'swung to the left, then turned upside down and plowed into the ground.' No preimpact mechanical problem was found with the airframe or powerplant.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N67223
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3471
- Airframe hours
- 6,230
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Badger Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 14, 1990 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
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
- 31
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 643 total · 173 in this make and model · 562 as pilot in command · 227 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CID, 5 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 N67223 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.