Aviation Crash Map

Bell 47G-2A1 N6569H

29 January 1996 · Honiara, Solomon Islands · Fatal

Summary

On 29 January 1996 at about 10:00 local time, a Bell 47G-2A1 registered N6569H was involved in an accident near Honiara, Solomon Islands. 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.

The record

Date
at 10:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Honiara, Solomon Islands
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Bell 47G-2A1
Registration
N6569H
Category
Helicopter
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Aerial Observation
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX96LA111

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 1 0 0 0

Probable cause

the pilot and the ship crew's failure to assure the tie down strap was removed prior to liftoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot lifted off from the ship with the right rear skid still attached with a tie down rope. The aircraft rolled to the right and impacted the water inverted, sinking immediately. The floatation devices on the skids separated during the impact sequence. The pilot and the aircraft were not recovered due to the depth of the water. The operator reported no mechanical problems with the aircraft prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Bell 47 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
29 Oct 1996 Bell 47G-3B-1
N3098G
Fillmore, Utah, United States Usfs Fatal 1
7 Oct 1996 Bell 47G-5A
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King City, California, United States - No injuries -
10 Sep 1996 Bell 47G-3B-1
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Rangely, Colorado, United States - No injuries -
11 Aug 1996 Bell 47G-4A
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Adel, Georgia, United States - Fatal 1
29 Sep 1996 Bell 47G-3B-1
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Borinquen
no coordinates
- No injuries -
10 Dec 1996 Bell 47G
N4758R
Pendleton, Oregon, United States Wildhorse Helicopters, Inc. Fatal 2

All 1,633 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
28 Dec 2008 Hughes 369
N104BN
Honiara, Solomon Islands Oceanside Helicopters Inc. Fatal 1
26 Jan 2014 Boeing 737-300
ZK-TLC
Honiara, Solomon Islands
no coordinates
Airwork Flight Operations LTD Unknown -
23 Feb 2024 Embraer ERJ190
VH-UYI
Lungga, Solomon Islands - Unknown -
17 Apr 2026 Bell 222
H4-HSA
Munda, Solomon Islands
no coordinates
- No injuries -

All 5 records in Solomon Islands