- Date
- July 2, 1994, 09:50 local (13:50 UTC)
- Place
- Wareham, MA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N59400Bell 47-G5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940702017159A
- Case key
- 38778
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 inadequate inflight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.
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 was performing an aerial reconnaissance of the area to be fertilizer, at 35 feet above the ground and an airspeed of 40 miles per hour. At the completion of the turn to downwind the engine lost power. The pilot leveled the helicopter and entered autorotation. The helicopter landed hard and the main rotor struck the tailboom. Both fuel tanks were found intact and a total of 20 ounces of useable fuel was drained from the tanks. The helicopter flight manual depicted the combination of 35 feet and 40 mph as an area to avoid continuous operations in.
Factual narrative
On July 2, 1994, at 0940 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G- 5A, N59400, operated by Wiggins Airways and piloted by Larry Helms, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a cranberry bog in Wareham, Massachusetts. The pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the agricultural application flight operating under 14 CFR 137.
The purpose of the flight was the aerial application of fertilizer onto a cranberry bog in Wareham, Massachusetts. The helicopter was operating from a landing pad in close proximity to the area to be sprayed.
In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 the pilot stated:
"...Aircraft [fuel gauge] indicated 12 to 15 gallons of fuel... While performing the aerial reconnaissance of the bog I was to dust, I had just turned downwind at 35 feet altitude when the engine failed. I leveled the aircraft and entered autorotation. I was able to level the aircraft and decelerate before ground contact..."
The pilot estimated that his airspeed at the time of the engine failure was about 40 miles per hour (MPH). According to a witness, he heard a change in the engine noise and observed the helicopter contact the ground and the main rotor strike the tailboom.
The manager of Helicopter Operations for Wiggins Airways, stated in a letter that during an inspection of the helicopter after the accident, the fuel tanks were found to be "whole and unruptured." Further, fuel drained from both fuel tanks totaled 101 ounces, of which 20 ounces was useable.
The Bell Helicopter Flight Manual for the 47G contains an Airspeed vs. Altitude Chart, used to depict altitude and airspeed combinations, where successful power off autorotations can be expected. The chart depicts the airspeed and altitude combination of 40 MPH and 35 feet in the area that is labeled, "Avoid continuous operation."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59400
- Reported as
- Bell 47-G5
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 25138
- Airframe hours
- 9,091
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-B1A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Wiggins Airways
- Registered owner
- Piper East Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 1994 · 48 hours before
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
- 43
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,141 total · 3,258 in this make and model · 10,550 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 43 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °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 N59400 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.