Bell 47G-3B1 N32PH

Summary

On 19 April 1999 at about 12:30 local time, a Bell 47G-3B1 registered N32PH was involved in an accident near Thomastown, Mississippi, United States. 2 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

19 April 1999 at 12:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Thomastown, Mississippi, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bell 47G-3B1

Registration

N32PH

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

MIA99LA133

Nobody was injured.

An in-flight loss of control caused by the main rotor severing the tail rotor drive shaft as a result of the pilot's cyclic pull-up into a tailwind for his second approach and landing. The loss of the tail rotor caused an uncontrollable descent and tree strike with the main rotor and in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to make a downwind approach and landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated he was pulling up the aerial spray rigged helicopter from the platform of the 'nurse truck' in order to reposition for a better placement on the platform, when he experienced uncommanded rotation. His ground crew stated, as he pulled up, a piece of the aircraft flew off and the tail rotor began to spin down. The aircraft went into an uncontrollable rotation, and the main rotor blades collided with an adjacent small tree stand. The helicopter impacted the terrain, the right landing skid collapsed, and the helicopter rolled over on its right side. Subsequent examination of the wreckage and interviews of the pilot, passenger, and ground crew revealed the approach and pull up for the second approach were into downwind conditions. The piece of the aircraft that flew off was a section of the tail rotor drive shaft. Except for the missing piece of shaft, no mechanical abnormalities could be found in the pilot controls, engine, or drive train.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.