Bell 47G-3B1 N700EC

Summary

On 31 July 1986 at about 19:00 local time, a Bell 47G-3B1 registered N700EC was involved in an accident near Lihue, Hawaii, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

31 July 1986 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lihue, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

21.9695, -159.3492

Aircraft

Bell 47G-3B1

Registration

N700EC

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lihue → Lihue

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX86FJA03

1 person was seriously 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

THE HELICOPER CRASHED INTO TREES WHILE ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT WHILE HOVERING OUT OF GROUND EFFECT THE MAIN ROTOR AND ENGINE RPM WERE DROPPING BELOW THE MINIMUM OPERATING LIMITS. THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO REGAIN RPM BUT WAS NOT SUCCUSSFUL. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK SEVERAL TREES AND THE HELICOPTER WENT STRAIGHT DOWN. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER, ALSO A PILOT, STATED THERE WAS NOTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION WAS 3,500 FT MSL AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 81 DEGS (F). DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APRX 5,300 FT MSL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.