- Date
- September 30, 1984, 13:03 local (17:03 UTC)
- Place
- Lincoln, NH
- Injuries
- 3 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8588FBell 47G-3B1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840930054909A
- Case key
- 35420
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.
Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical
Fluid,fuel - exhaustionCause
Fuel consumption calculations - inaccurateCause
Refueling - not performedCause
ComplacencyFactor
Forced landing
Autorotation - performed
In flight collision with object
Object - tree(s)
In flight collision with terrain/water
Analysis
The acft was being used in a passenger sightseeing operation when shortly after takeoff the eng ceased to operate & the acft crashed into trees. Both passengers aboard the helicopter observed that the fuel gage indicated empty prior to the eng stopage. Exam of the wreckage at the accident site revealed less than 2 gallons of fuel in the fuel tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8588F
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 6528
- Airframe hours
- 4,288
- Engine
- Lycoming TVO-435-B1A, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- James H. Shippee
- Registered owner
- Green River Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 1, 1984 · 384 hours before
- Departed
- Lincoln, NH
- Destination
- Lincoln, NH
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,527 total · 793 in this make and model · 1,452 as pilot in command · 110 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 30 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 48 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.