- Date
- August 1, 1990, 07:30 local (11:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hanson, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N34691Bell 47G-3B-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900801029489A
- Case key
- 36505
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 pilot's loss of control of the helicopter due to the failure of the tail rotor drive shaft.
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 pilot stated that while he was operating the helicopter at 100 feet above the ground in aerial application activities, there was a loss of tail rotor control. The helicopter entered a 'slow spin' and descended into the ground. Post-accident investigation revealed that the tail rotor drive shaft was 'sheared off' between the number 5 and number 6 bearings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34691
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3822
- Airframe hours
- 5,306
- Engine
- Lycoming TV0-435-B1A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Ashley Cranberry Enterprise
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 14, 1990 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Wareham, MA
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
- 32
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,100 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 3,700 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 3 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.