Smith WCS-222 (BELL 47G) N23BS

Summary

On 2 January 1982 at about 21:07 local time, a Smith WCS-222 (BELL 47G) registered N23BS, operated by G. Wayne Stewart, was involved in an accident near Miami, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

2 January 1982 at 21:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Miami, Florida, United States

Coordinates

25.6102, -80.3410

Aircraft

Smith WCS-222 (BELL 47G)

Registration

N23BS

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

G. Wayne Stewart

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Miami → Miami

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA82DA028

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND FIRE ERUPTED ON THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENGINE DRIVEN HYDRAULIC BOOST FOR THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE PILOT WAS FLYING OVER A POPULATED AREA. DURING HIS FORCED LANDING, HE WAS FORCED TO DIVERT TO A SECOND LANDING SITE WITH A CROSSWIND TO AVOID PERSONNEL AND OBSTRUCTIONS. THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 12 KNOTS. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WAS STILL BURNING IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIR CLEANER, BUT WAS EXTINGUISHED WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.