- Date
- August 5, 1988, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Oakland, ME
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6286NBell 47G3B-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 29, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880805030929A
- Case key
- 36205
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 an aerial photography flt, the pilot was maneuvering at 30 ft, at 25 mph and making a right turn over a lake when the nose of the helicopter swung to the right unexpectedly. He stated that 'when the aircraft entered the unexpected swing to the right I only had time to realize that I lost tail rotor effectiveness and attempt to accelerate forward with cyclic before water impact.' The photographer had photographed a camp and water skiers and had asked the pilot to maneuver near a boat, over a float, when the loss of control occurred.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6286N
- Reported as
- Bell 47G3B-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Maine Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AUG · Augusta, ME
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
- 60
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,000 total · 430 in this make and model · 13,700 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.