Bell 47-D1 N10065

Summary

On 29 May 1986 at about 18:45 local time, a Bell 47-D1 registered N10065, operated by Whirley Bird, was involved in an accident near Panama City Bch, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

29 May 1986 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Panama City Bch, Florida, United States

Coordinates

30.2003, -85.7902

Aircraft

Bell 47-D1

Registration

N10065

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Whirley Bird

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Panama City Bch → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA86LA168

1 person had minor injuries.

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 PILOT HAD INTENDED TO HOVER THE HELICOPTER AND ALLOW A 'CLOWN' TO TOUCH THE SKIDS WHILE A PHOTOGRAPHER RECORDED THE EVENT LOOKING UPWARD TO GIVE THE APPEARANCE THAT THE 'CLOWN' WAS HANGING FROM THE SKID. THE 'CLOWN' GRABBED THE LEFT REAR SKID AND THE PILOT ADDED POWER AND FULL RIGHT FORWARD CYCLIC CONTROL. THE PILOT THEN ADDED MORE POWER AND LOST PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE THEN CIRCLED OVER THE HIGHWAY AND THE HELIPORT BUILDING BEFORE CRASHING NOSE LOW INTO AN ADJACENT PARKING LOT. THE 'CLOWN' JUMPED FROM THE HELICOPTER JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.