- Date
- July 12, 1990, 07:00 local (12:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fair Oaks, AR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8117Bell 47D-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900712025479A
- Case key
- 35013
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
Tail rotor cable disengagement due to inadequate maintenance.
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 plt said that while conducting an aerial application operation he felt a vibration in the aircraft. He said that there was no left or right pedal response immediately afterward. He initiated a right turn to return to the airstrip and the helicopter would not recover. It continued turning right and descended until it collided with the terrain. Post-accident investigation revealed the tail rotor cable had become disengaged from the tail rotor pitch drum and had wrapped around the flange of the pitch change drum. The tail rotor blades were locked in the right pedal position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8117
- Reported as
- Bell 47D-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- K732
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1D, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Taylor Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 25, 1990 · 43 hours before
- Airport
- Hess
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 35,000 total · 200 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F
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 N8117 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.