Bell 47G4A N28938

Summary

On 2 February 1987 at about 17:45 local time, a Bell 47G4A registered N28938 was involved in an accident near Stockton, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

2 February 1987 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Stockton, California, United States

Coordinates

37.9605, -121.2597

Aircraft

Bell 47G4A

Registration

N28938

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

LAX87DVD01

1 person was seriously injured.

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

JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS WHILE TRANSPORTING AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT. A FRACTOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED FUEL DISCONNECT FITTING BY ANAMET LABORATORIES, CONCLUDED THAT APPROXIMATELY 70% OF THE RETAINING RING ON THE FUEL DISCONNECT FITTING HAD FRACTURED BY METAL FATIGUE. THE FATIGUE CRACK WAS PRESENT PRIOR TO THE CRASH; HOWEVER, IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED WHETHER THE FRACTURE MAY HAVE CAUSED PARTIAL CLOSING OF THE DISCONNECT VALVE IN THE FITTING. THIS COULD CUT OFF THE FUEL SUPPLY DURING OPERATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.