Bell 47G3B1 N4002G

Summary

On 19 October 2002 at about 13:30 local time, a Bell 47G3B1 registered N4002G was involved in an accident near Highfalls, Georgia, United States. One person was 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

19 October 2002 at 13:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Highfalls, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

33.3250, -84.2981

Aircraft

Bell 47G3B1

Registration

N4002G

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Highfalls → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL03LA007

Nobody was injured.

The pilots inadequate fuel management, and subsequent loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and a in-flight collision with trees during an autorotation. A factor was the pilot's failure to insure that the required equipment (fuel gauge) was installed in the helicopter.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A commercial pilot was completing his timber spraying operation and returning to the staging area. While at cruise flight the pilot felt a surge of engine power followed by a complete loss of power. The pilot selected a forced landing area and entered an autorotation. The helicopter collided with trees in a heavily wooded area. After the helicopter came to rest, the pilot removed the fuel filters to examine them for contamination, but was unable to make that determination. On recovery of the helicopter no fuel was found in the fuel tanks, and the helicopter was not equipped with a fuel quantity gauge for each tank as required by Federal Regulations. No other mechanical or flight control malfunctions were found with the helicopter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.