Huddleston-Bell 47G2 N37870
28 February 1993 · Rio Grande · Minor injuries
Summary
On 28 February 1993 at about 21:00 local time, a Huddleston-Bell 47G2 registered N37870, operated by Perez, Santiago T., was involved in an accident near Rio Grande. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Rio Grande
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Huddleston-Bell 47G2
- Registration
- N37870
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Perez, Santiago T.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Carolina → Fajardo
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA93LA076
People
2 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Probable cause
POOR IN-FLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FLIGHT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE STUDENT PLT REPORTED THAT DURING CRUISE FLT, HE NOTED A STRONG VIBRATION FROM THE HELICOPTER AND A TENDENCY FOR THE HELICOPTER TO GO TO THE RIGHT. HE EXECUTED A 180-DEGREE TURN AND WHILE DESCENDING FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO A CONCRETE PAD, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE HELICOPTER THEN DESCENDED, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RT SIDE. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE REPORTED VIBRATION OR YAWING TENDENCY. ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE HELICOPTER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, AN OPEN FIELD WAS ADJACENT TO THE CONCRETE PAD AND A PASSENGER WAS IN THE HELICOPTER WHEN IT CRASHED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.