- Date
- June 8, 2010, 14:27 local (21:27 UTC)
- Place
- Shaw Island, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7069JBell 47G-4A
- Defining event
- Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100608034879A
- Case key
- 76277
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 passenger's inadvertent movement of the mixture control during climb, resulting in a loss of engine power.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he and his wife, a helicopter pilot-rated passenger, departed to the north. The passenger stated that she noticed that the carburetor temperature gauge needle was in the yellow arc and asked the pilot if he would like her to add carburetor heat. The pilot said yes, and watched as she reached for the lever. The pilot did not see her move the lever because her hand was blocking his view. He looked away to monitor the helicopter, which was then climbing to clear the treetops. The pilot stated that about a minute later, as the helicopter reached the shoreline, the engine sputtered and quit. The pilot noticed that the mixture control had been pulled out about halfway, to idle cut-off. He lowered the collective and entered an autorotation, landing the float equipped helicopter on the water. The helicopter then nosed over upside-down and sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and cabin. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident. The mixture and carburetor heat controls are next to each other on the pedestal.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he and his wife, a helicopter pilot-rated passenger, departed to the north. The passenger stated that she noticed that the carburetor temperature gauge needle was in the yellow arc and asked the pilot if he would like her to add carburetor heat. The pilot said yes, and watched as she reached for the lever. The pilot did not see her move the lever because her hand was blocking his view. He looked away to monitor the helicopter, which was then climbing to clear the treetops. The pilot stated that about a minute later, as the helicopter reached the shoreline, the engine sputtered and quit. The pilot noticed that the mixture control had been pulled out about halfway, to idle cut-off. He lowered the collective and entered an autorotation, landing the float equipped helicopter on the water. The helicopter then nosed over upside-down and sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and cabin. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident. The mixture and carburetor heat controls are next to each other on the pedestal.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7069J
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-4A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7737
- Airframe hours
- 8,806
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-B1B3, 310 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Brantigan John W
- Registered owner
- Brantigan John W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2009 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- Fowler Field, WA
- Destination
- Fowler Field, WA
- Airport
- Fowler Field
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 27, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,460 total · 125 in this make and model · 4,100 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 27, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,670 total · 115 in this make and model · 200 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KFHR, 6 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 14, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 844 KB in all.
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 N7069J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.