Bell 47G-2A-1 N73905

Summary

On 21 March 2023 at about 17:30 local time, a Bell 47G-2A-1 registered N73905, operated by Frost Hollow Helicopter LLC, was involved in an accident near Livonia, New York, 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

21 March 2023 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Livonia, New York, United States

Coordinates

42.8261, -77.5852

Aircraft

Bell 47G-2A-1

Registration

N73905

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1963

Engines

1

Operator

Frost Hollow Helicopter LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA157

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s delayed action to arrest the high descent rate during a practice autorotation in tailwind conditions which ultimately resulted in loss of control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a practice autorotation with a tail wind, the pilot began the maneuver and the helicopter initially lost airspeed; the pilot immediately corrected with forward cyclic input, which also increased his descent rate. The higher than normal descent rate continued, and he began the power recovery earlier than normal. Shortly before touchdown, the pilot noticed a slope in the terrain with the rising side to his aft. The helicopter continued to descend and the helicopter’s tail rotor contacted the ground during the landing flare. The resulting impact resulted in a loss of control and substantial damage to the tail boom and tail rotor. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact malfunctions or failures of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.