Bell 47G3B2A N7965J

Summary

On 3 May 1998 at about 19:00 local time, a Bell 47G3B2A registered N7965J was involved in an accident near Stanwood, Washington, 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

3 May 1998 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Stanwood, Washington, United States

Coordinates

48.2104, -122.2791

Aircraft

Bell 47G3B2A

Registration

N7965J

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA98LA069

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the number two connecting rod, which led to additional internal engine damage and a complete loss of power. Factors include soft terrain in the area where the pilot found it necessary to execute his forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While reducing power in the initial climb in order to establish cruise flight, the pilot of the helicopter experienced a partial engine power loss, followed by a complete loss of power about 15 seconds later. The pilot executed an autorotation to an emergency landing in a freshly plowed field, whereupon the main rotor flexed downward and contacted the tail boom during the touchdown. A post-accident inspection of the engine revealed that the number two connecting rod had failed near where it attaches to the crankshaft, ultimately leading to a total engine failure. Because both relevant fracture surfaces of the connecting rod were severely damaged and disfigured by repeated rotational impact pounding, the rod was not submitted for metallurgical failure mode examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.