Bell 47G-2 N47GY

Summary

On 16 May 1994 at about 20:02 local time, a Bell 47G-2 registered N47GY was involved in an accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 May 1994 at 20:02

Classification

Accident

Location

Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

36.0207, -95.9296

Aircraft

Bell 47G-2

Registration

N47GY

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jenks → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW94FA158

1 person died.

IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE CONTROLS WHEN HE MANEUVERED ABRUPTLY TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH A FLOCK OF BIRDS. FACTORS WERE THE BIRDS AND THE INFLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE LEFT SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND SAW AN OBJECT SEPARATE FROM THE SECOND OF TWO HELICOPTERS. THIS HELICOPTER THEN IMPACTED INVERTED IN THE BACK YARD OF A RESIDENCE. THE LEFT SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATOR AND END CAP WERE FOUND 240 FEET AWAY. AN INDENTATION ON THE LEADING EDGE OF ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES MATCHED THAT OF THE END CAP. THE PILOT OF THE FIRST HELICOPTER SAID HE HAD WARNED THE SECOND PILOT OF A FLOCK OF BIRDS, AND THAT HE HAD TO BANK SHARPLY TO AVOID HITTING THEM. WHEN HE RECEIVED NO REPLY, HE TURNED AROUND BUT THE OTHER HELICOPTER WAS NOT IN SIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.