Bell 47G-3B-1 N35134
26 July 1997 · Mt. Vernon, Ohio, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 26 July 1997 at about 21:10 local time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 registered N35134 was involved in an accident near Mt. Vernon, Ohio, United States. 7 people were on board. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:10
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Mt. Vernon, Ohio, United States
- Coordinates
- 40.3907, -82.4692
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B-1
- Registration
- N35134
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Knox Cnty Fair → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- IAD97LA104
People
Injuries not recorded.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain rotor RPM.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot was flying passengers for 5 minute sightseeing tours. Shortly after departing with two passengers and while at 75 feet AGL, the pilot stated that he experienced an unexplained loss of RPM. The pilot reversed course using right pedal to turn back to the point of departure. While maneuvering to avoid obstacles and with a tailwind, the pilot stated that the rotor RPM further decayed. The helicopter impacted the ground hard, and the main rotor blade severed the tail boom. No mechanical problems were reported by the pilot, nor was any fuel contamination found. A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector started the engine twice without finding any mechanical malfunctions.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 47 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Aug 1997 | Bell 47-D1 | Holcomb, Mississippi, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 1997 | Bell 47G-3B-1 | Crossett, Arkansas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Oct 1997 | Bell 47-G3B | Winston, Montana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Sep 1997 | Bell 47G-2 | McGee, Mississippi, United States | Louis E. McCarthy | No injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 1997 | Bell 47G-2 | Burbank, California, United States | John A. Ochwatt | No injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 1997 | Bell 47G-3B-2 | Montrose, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 1,633 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb 1997 | Piper J3C-65 | Cincinnati, Ohio, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Mar 1997 | Piper PA-24-250 | Bowling Green, Ohio, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Mar 1997 | Cessna 172 | Middletown, Ohio, United States | Barbara F. Schmidt | No injuries | - |
| 4 May 1997 | Marsh-Turner BG-12A | Marion, Ohio, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Cessna 177 | Lancaster, Ohio, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 May 1997 | Pitts S1C | Salem, Ohio, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |