- Date
- July 15, 1982, 07:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Harrah, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6145CBell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 15, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820715029789A
- Case key
- 70966
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
The pilot reported that before taking off, the fuel quantity guages indicated there was sufficient fuel to complete one more load and still have an adequate reserve. After dispensing the load, the engine lost power while he was returning to the nurse truck. At that time, the helicopter was at about 100 ft AGL and was about to cross a power line. The pilot turned to avoid the power line and leveled the helicopter, but it landed hard. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the pilot received a compression fracture of a vertebra. An examination revealed that both fuel tanks were empty and no sign of a fuel leak was found.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6145C
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2182
- Airframe hours
- 8,993
- Engine
- Lycoming TVO-435-25A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 137
- Operator
- Robert C. Martin
- Registered owner
- Robert C. Martin
- Departed
- Harrah, WA
- Destination
- Harrah, WA
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,728 total · 673 in this make and model · 1,365 as pilot in command · 77 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 122 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- YKM, 10 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.
Other investigations on N6145C · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.