Bell 47G-3B-2 N123NM

Summary

On 30 December 1998 at about 21:00 local time, a Bell 47G-3B-2 registered N123NM was involved in an accident near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 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

30 December 1998 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Murfreesboro Municipal (MBT)

Coordinates

35.7808, -86.3304

Aircraft

Bell 47G-3B-2

Registration

N123NM

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL99LA036

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate flare and his diverted attention, which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had completed a local photographic flight, and was returning to the airport to refuel. While on short final to land, about five feet above the ground, the pilot's flight chart slipped off his right leg, and he was momentarily distracted while looking down to retrieve the chart. The pilot reported that the helicopter struck the ground in a level attitude on the skids. The passenger described the touchdown as 'abnormally hard'. The pilot said when he went to reposition the helicopter for refueling, he had no tail rotor pedal control. He then proceeded to shut the helicopter down. An examination of the helicopter disclosed that the tail boom assembly had been severed, and there was damage to the trailing edge of one of the main rotor blades. No mechanical problems with the helicopter were reported by the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.