Bell 47G 3B 1 N48316
13 May 2016 · Portia, Arkansas, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 13 May 2016 at about 12:15 local time, a Bell 47G 3B 1 registered N48316, operated by Hammock Flying Service Inc, was involved in an accident near Portia, Arkansas, United States. 2 people were on board. One person on the ground also died. 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 12:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Portia, Arkansas, United States
- Coordinates
- 36.0756, -91.0611
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G 3B 1
- Registration
- N48316
- Category
- Helicopter
- Year built
- 1966
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Hammock Flying Service Inc
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Application
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Portia → Portia
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN16LA182
People
Injuries not recorded.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured | On the ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to perform a sliding takeoff from the elevated platform, which resulted in a dynamic rollover when the right skid plate caught on a protruding screw. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to adequately inspect the landing platform before flight.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
While departing from an elevated wood platform, the pilot elected to make a sliding takeoff, and after the helicopter's skids had slid forward about 2.5 ft, the skid plate on the bottom of the helicopter's right skid caught on a raised deck screw that had backed out of the platform. The pilot attempted to free the skid by applying power and pitching the helicopter forward. As the skid broke free, the helicopter pivoted forward and yawed to the right. The helicopter impacted the ground in a near-vertical attitude, and the main rotor blades contacted the service truck's cab. An individual on the ground was struck and fatally injured by debris from the helicopter. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident, and did not recall inspecting the landing platform the morning of the accident.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 47 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jun 2016 | Bell 47G | Hastings, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Jun 2016 | Bell 47G 5 | Laureles, Texas, United States | Hendrickson Flying Service Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 Apr 2016 | Bell 47G-2A | Los Fresnos, Texas, United States | Hendrickson Flying Service, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Feb 2016 | Bell 47G 3B 1 | Carson City, Nevada, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 29 Apr 2016 | Bell 47G 5 | San Ardo, California, United States | Wilbur-Ellis Co | Minor injuries | - |
| 30 Jul 2016 | Bell 47G 2 | Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States | Experimental Aircraft Association | No injuries | - |
All 1,633 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 May 2016 | Cessna 177 | Pine Bluff, Arkansas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 May 2016 | Mooney M20 | Little Rock, Arkansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 12 Jan 2016 | Mitsubishi MU 300 | Little Rock, Arkansas, United States | Central Flying Service Inc | No injuries | - |
| 7 Jul 2016 | Cessna 182 | Searcy, Arkansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Oct 2016 | Remos REMOS GX | Lowell, Arkansas, United States | Adventure Flight Aviation Inc | No injuries | - |
| 31 Aug 2016 | Beechcraft A36 | Bentonville, Arkansas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |