Bell 47G-2 N90485
20 September 1997 · McGee, Mississippi, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 20 September 1997 at about 20:32 local time, a Bell 47G-2 registered N90485, operated by Louis E. McCarthy, was involved in an accident near McGee, Mississippi, United States. 3 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.
The record
- Date
- at 20:32
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- McGee, Mississippi, United States
- Coordinates
- 31.8699, -89.7296
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2
- Registration
- N90485
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Louis E. McCarthy
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Observation
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL97LA139
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
fuel starvation, while in maneuvering flight, due to the pilot's improper planning/decision.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
According to the pilot, he was circling over the house of one of the passengers in about a 50 degree bank angle, when the engine lost power. He stated he immediately executed an autorotation and headed for a hay field. As he turned past trees, the pilot noticed a utility pole and wires. He maneuvered to climb over the obstructions, but the tail boom struck the wires, the controls shuddered, and the helicopter banked to the left. The pilot stated that he leveled off about 20 feet above the ground, then landed in the hay field. Postaccident investigation showed minimal fuel in the tanks.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 47 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Aug 1997 | Bell 47-D1 | Holcomb, Mississippi, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 1997 | Bell 47G-3B-1 | Crossett, Arkansas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Oct 1997 | Bell 47-G3B | Winston, Montana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 1997 | Bell 47G-2 | Burbank, California, United States | John A. Ochwatt | No injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 1997 | Bell 47G-3B-2 | Montrose, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Sep 1997 | Bell 47 | Pipestone, Minnesota, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
All 1,633 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Apr 1997 | Grumman G-164B | Ackerman, Mississippi, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 12 Oct 1997 | Cessna 172P | Wiggins, Mississippi, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Sep 1997 | Learjet 31 | Aberdeen, Mississippi, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jun 1997 | Spencer PITTS S-1S | Greenwood, Mississippi, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jun 1997 | Schweizer G-164B | Edwards, Mississippi, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Sep 1997 | Piper PA-28-181 | Fulton, Mississippi, United States | Alexander Beer-Teissier | Minor injuries | - |