Bell 47D-1 N917B

Summary

On 5 August 1987 at about 22:15 local time, a Bell 47D-1 registered N917B was involved in an accident near Taft, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

5 August 1987 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Taft, California, United States

Nearest airport

Taft

Coordinates

35.1602, -119.4298

Aircraft

Bell 47D-1

Registration

N917B

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bakersfield → Taft

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX87LA294

Nobody was 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

THE PLT RPRTD THE ENG LOST POWER AT ABOUT 300' AGL AFTER THE HELICOPTER HAD FLOWN APRX 2.7 HRS WITHOUT REFUELING. HE INITIATED AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING; HOWEVER, BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED & SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. AN EXAM REVEALED THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. NO SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKAGE WERE FOUND. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH A 210 HP FRANKLIN ENG IAW A SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATE. THERE WAS NO FACTORY DATA ON FUEL CONSUMPTION RATES FOR THIS CONFIGURATION. OTHER OPERATORS, WHO OPERATED THIS MAKE & MODEL OF HELICOPTER, ESTIMATED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS APRX 12 GAL/HR. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE PLT RPRTD HE MEASURED THE FUEL CAPACITY OF THE HELICOPTER FUEL CELL. HE STATED THE CELL WOULD HOLD ONLY 26.5 GAL OF FUEL, INSTEAD OF '29' AS INDCD BY A STICK-ON MARKER THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON A PREVIOUSLY PAINTED PLACARD.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.