Bell 47-J2A N291FW

Summary

On 16 September 1992 at about 17:13 local time, a Bell 47-J2A registered N291FW, operated by Ruggles, DON C., was involved in an accident near Booneville, Arkansas, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 September 1992 at 17:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Booneville, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

35.1301, -93.9090

Aircraft

Bell 47-J2A

Registration

N291FW

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Ruggles, DON C.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mena → Booneville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW92LA226

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM DURING AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. FACTORS WERE FUEL EXHAUSTION, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS, AND THE PILOT NOT REFUELING THE HELICOPTER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT HAD FLOWN THE HELICOPTER ON THE POWER LINE AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS AND 8 MINUTES WHEN A POWER LOSS OCCURRED. HE INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE FLARE, HE FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE OWNER OF THE HELICOPTER DRAINED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL FROM THE TANKS AND SAID THAT HE WAS CERTAIN THAT LACK OF FUEL CAUSED THE FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT PERFORMED A CALCULATED FUEL CONSUMPTION CHECK TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT WHICH HE SAID SHOWED A FUEL BURN RATE OF 13.7 GALLONS PER HOUR OR 3 HOURS AND 47 MINUTES OF FLIGHT TIME. HE USED A STOP WATCH IN THE COCKPIT TO ACCOUNT FOR FLIGHT TIME. THE MANUFACTURER STATES THE FUEL SYSTEM HOLDS 47.5 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL, THE ENGINE'S FUEL BURN RATE IS 19 GALLONS PER HOUR AT CRUISE, AND LISTS THE MAXIMUM CRUISE TIME AS 3 HOURS AND 18 MINUTES WITH THE ENGINE LEANED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.