Bell 47G N7895B

Summary

On 3 May 2014 at about 16:15 local time, a Bell 47G registered N7895B was involved in an accident near El Monte, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 May 2014 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

El Monte, California, United States

Nearest airport

El Monte (EMT)

Coordinates

34.0858, -118.0347

Aircraft

Bell 47G

Registration

N7895B

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1958

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

El Monte → Compton, CA

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14LA180

2 people had minor injuries.

A partial loss of engine power during climbout due to a malfunctioning magneto and spark plugs.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during climbout, the engine experienced a partial loss of power, the helicopter shook violently, and the engine then made a couple of "popping" sounds. He immediately initiated a precautionary landing to an open field. During the landing, the right skid caught on the ground, and the helicopter then rolled onto its right side. During postaccident functional tests, the left magneto and the No. 5 cylinder's spark plugs did not function properly. No further evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation were observed. Therefore, it is likely that the malfunctioning left magneto and spark plugs caused the partial loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.