Bell 47G N13766

Summary

On 19 March 1987 at about 21:00 local time, a Bell 47G registered N13766 was involved in an accident near Wassaic, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

19 March 1987 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Wassaic, New York, United States

Coordinates

41.7801, -73.5409

Aircraft

Bell 47G

Registration

N13766

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Northampton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC87FA114

2 people 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 BELL 47G HELICOPTER WAS ON A AERIAL SURVEY OF BURIED TELEPHONE CABLE WHEN THE RED MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEPARATED FROM THE BLADE GRIPS IN FLIGHT. THE MAIN ROTOR HUB WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEPARATED FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE THAT THIS ACCIDENT INVOLVED A BLADE STRIKE. EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED MAIN ROTOR BLADE DISCLOSED THAT THE BLADE HAD RECEIVED A BLADE STRIKE SOME YEARS BEFORE, WAS REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE. THERE WAS A LARGE GAP NEAR THE BLADE GRIPS THAT HAD BEEN FILLED WITH EPOXY. BOTH OF THESE REPAIRS WERE DETERMINED TO NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE BELL 47 MAINTENANCE AND OVERHAUL MANUAL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.