- Date
- July 4, 2006, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Petersburg, WV
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6738DBell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20060704023029A
- Case key
- 64086
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 passenger's inadvertent interference with the flight controls, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent impact with the ground.
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
As the helicopter climbed to about 15-20 feet during a hover, the pilot felt that "something was pushing the helicopter." Shortly thereafter, the helicopter began to descend and the rotor RPM began to decrease. The pilot initiated a precautionary landing, during which the passenger inadvertently pushed on the rudder pedals. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control, and the helicopter rolled onto its side as it touched down.
Factual narrative
As the Bell 47G-2 climbed to about 15-20 feet during a hover, the pilot felt that "something was pushing the helicopter." Shortly thereafter, the helicopter began to descend and the rotor RPM began to decrease. The pilot initiated a precautionary landing, during which the passenger inadvertently pushed on the rudder pedals. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control, and the helicopter rolled onto its side as it touched down.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6738D
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2229
- Airframe hours
- 6,477
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kenneth Wymer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2006
- Departed
- NONE · Petersburg, WV
- Airport
- W99 · Grant County Airport
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 493 total · 80 in this make and model · 413 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- W99, 2 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.