Bell 47G-3B-1 N1159W

Summary

On 9 May 1986 at about 15:00 local time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 registered N1159W, operated by MAX J.short, was involved in an accident near Panama City, Florida, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

9 May 1986 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Panama City, Florida, United States

Coordinates

30.1998, -85.7907

Aircraft

Bell 47G-3B-1

Registration

N1159W

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

MAX J.short

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA86LA152

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

WHILE APPROACHING TO LAND DURING A SIGHTSEEING FLT A LOSS OF ENG PWR WAS EXPERIENCED AND AN AUTOROTATION WAS MADE 70 FT SHORT OF THE HELIPAD. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE PLT STATED AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE ENG CONTINUED TO OPERATE AT IDLE SPEED. POST ACCIDENT TESTS OF THE ENG TO A PWR SETTING HIGHER THAN THE PLT HAD SELECTED AT THE TIME OF FAILURE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. A CHECK OF THE CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART REVEALED THE FLIGHT WAS MADE UNDER CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING AT GLIDE PWR AND VISIBLE CARBURETOR ICING AT RATED PWR. THE PLT STATED HE DID NOT USE CARBURETOR HEAT BEFORE OR AFTER THE LOSS OF ENG PWR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.