Bell 47G-3B-1 N47713

Summary

On 5 August 2004 at about 20:45 local time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 registered N47713, operated by Brazos Helicopters LLC, was involved in an accident near Troy, Texas, 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

5 August 2004 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Troy, Texas, United States

Coordinates

31.2944, -97.2969

Aircraft

Bell 47G-3B-1

Registration

N47713

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Brazos Helicopters LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

McCleannian Co. → Temple

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW04CA207

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor's improper flare, resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the high density altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 10,120-hour flight instructor was demonstrating autorotations when the helicopter landed hard and bounced back into the air, as the main rotor blades struck the tail boom. As the helicopter started to rotate, the throttle was reduced and the helicopter landed upright in a field. The flight instructor further stated the wind after the accident was from 350 degrees, approximately 10 knots. Weather reported near the time of the accident was wind from 040 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 statue miles, sky condition clear, temperature 84 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of Mercury. The density altitude was calculated by the NTSB investigator-in-charge to be 2,485 feet mean sea level.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.