Moore Bell 47D1 N45867

Summary

On 8 May 1982, a Moore Bell 47D1 registered N45867, operated by Russell Moore, was involved in an accident near Amagon, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

8 May 1982

Classification

Accident

Location

Amagon, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Moore Bell 47D1

Registration

N45867

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Russell Moore

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Amagon → Amagon

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW82FPG11

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO TEST THE AERIAL SPRAY EQUIPMENT. AFTER STARTING AND WARMING THE ENGINE, THE PILOT TOOK OFF, FLEW ABOUT 1/4 MI SOUTH, THEN FLEW NORTH. A MOTORIST STATED THAT HE SAW BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE HELICOPTER. TWO TEEN-AGERS HEARD POPPING SOUNDS, AND REPORTEDLY, THE ENGINE WAS BACKFIRING, STOPPIN AND STARTING. ABOUT 1 MI NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE POINT, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED AND TRAVELED 82 FT BEFORE STOPPING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ENGINE HAD OPERATED ABOUT 17 HRS SINCE A MAJOR OVERHAUL ON 5/20/78. THE LAST REPORTED INSPECTION WAS ON 3/24/82. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED HEAVY RUST AND CORROSION IN THE CARBURETOR, EXTREMELY DIRTY AIR CLEANER, OLD AND SEVERELY WORN SPANK PLUGS, MODERATE RUST AND CORROSION IN THE CYLINDER BARRELS, HEAVY DEPOSITS ON THE PISTON HEADS, AND MODERATE SCORING OF THE PISTON SKIRTS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S PARENTS, THE ENGINE WOULD "POP" WHEN IT WAS FIRST STARTED AND THE PILOT HAD THE IDLE SET FASTER THAN NORMAL TO KEEP IT FROM RUNNING ROUGH.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.