- Date
- June 26, 1991, 05:28 local (12:28 UTC)
- Place
- Goldendale, WA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7859SBell 47G-3B1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910626024069A
- Case key
- 41322
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's misjudgement of fuel supply.
Analysis
The pilot of the turbine-powered bell 47G-3B1 was approaching the remote landing zone when the helicopter pitched down and turned left. The pilot called mayday before the helicopter struck trees. Less than two gallons of fuel was drained from the fuel system during the investigation.
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
- N7859S
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 6626
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Western Helicopter Services
- Registered owner
- Western Helicopter Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 5,861 total · 877 in this make and model · 5,570 as pilot in command · 88 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °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.