Aviation Crash Map

Bell 47G N16414

18 May 2014 · Bakersfield, California, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 18 May 2014 at about 23:48 local time, a Bell 47G registered N16414 was involved in an accident near Bakersfield, California, 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.

The record

Date
at 23:48
Classification
Accident
Location
Bakersfield, California, United States
Nearest airport
Meadows Field Airport (BFL)
Coordinates
35.4342, -119.0578
Aircraft
Bell 47G
Registration
N16414
Category
Helicopter
Year built
1967
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Positioning
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Bakersfield → Bakersfield
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
WPR14CA196

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control after the helicopter's skid catching on the side of a trailer during takeoff, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to move the helicopter off of a trailer onto the ground. As the helicopter began to lift off from the trailer platform, a steel bolt on the landing gear skid caught on the aluminum trailer skirting. The helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover and came to rest on its right side. Shortly thereafter, a fire erupted and the cabin area was consumed. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

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All 1,633 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
31 Oct 2014 Scaled Composites 339
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7 Jun 2014 Cessna 180H
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Hesperia, California, United States - No injuries -
5 Sep 2014 Eurocopter AS 350 B3
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27 Apr 2014 McDonnell Douglas 600N
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Adelanto, California, United States - Serious injuries -
13 Jun 2014 Air Tractor AT 502B
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27 Apr 2014 Cessna 210E
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All 170,864 records in United States