Bell 47L N6330D

Summary

On 6 May 1989 at about 15:30 local time, a Bell 47L registered N6330D, operated by Allied Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma, 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

6 May 1989 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Downtown Airpark (5F2)

Coordinates

36.1896, -95.9909

Aircraft

Bell 47L

Registration

N6330D

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Allied Helicopters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW89LA092

Nobody was injured.

INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT BY THE INSTRUCTOR IN THAT HE ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO OVERPOWER HIS CONTROL INPUTS AFTER AN UNEXPECTED GUST OF WIND MOVED THE TAIL OF THE HELICOPTER.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT SAID HE AND A BEGINNER STUDENT WERE IN A HOVER PRACTICE AREA AND WERE REPOSITIONING THE HELICOPTER TO ALLOW ANOTHER HELICOPTER TO HOVER OUT FROM THE RAMP. HE SAID HE ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO FOLLOW HIM ON THE CONTROLS, AND DURING THE HOVER LANDING, A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE TAIL TO PITCH UP. AN UNEXPECTED CONTROL INPUT BY THE STUDENT CAUSED AN OVERCORRECTION WHICH ALLOWED THE TAIL ROTOR TO STRIKE THE GROUND. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR, THE SKIDS, AND THE BUBBLE CANOPY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.