Bell 47G-5 N1316X

Summary

On 8 July 1986 at about 16:15 local time, a Bell 47G-5 registered N1316X was involved in an accident near Porterville, California, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

8 July 1986 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Porterville, California, United States

Coordinates

35.9594, -118.9205

Aircraft

Bell 47G-5

Registration

N1316X

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX86FVA11

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

DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND COLLIDED WITH A BUILDING. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT WAS NOT COATED WITH ALUMINIZED LACQUER AS REQUIRED BY THE BELL FINISH PROCESS SPECIFICATION. THE BELL DRAWING REQUIRES TWO #2 SHORT PLUGS TO BE INSTALLED AT A SPECIFIED DISTANCE FROM EACH END OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT AND THE END OF THE SHAFT TO BE SEALED OFF WITH ADHESIVE TO PROTECT THE SHAFT INSIDE DIAMETER FROM CORROSION. A DIMENSIONAL CHECK OF THE SHAFT REVEALED THAT THE PLUGS WERE NOT INSTALLED AT THE CORRECT DISTANCE FROM THE END OF THE SHAFT AS SPECIFIED IN THE DRAWING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.