Bell 47G2 N24067

Summary

On 1 October 2022 at about 12:43 local time, a Bell 47G2 registered N24067 was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona, 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

1 October 2022 at 12:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Mesa, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

33.3998, -111.8277

Aircraft

Bell 47G2

Registration

N24067

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1953

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chandler → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

WPR23LA006

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while in cruise flight about 2,300 ft mean sea level, the helicopter’s engine lost power and he initiated an autorotation and landed on a residential street. During the landing sequence, the pilot increased the collective to reduce the descent rate to clear obstacles, which resulted in a loss of rotor rpm and a hard landing that damaged the tail boom. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed a low amount of fuel in each tank. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not report how much fuel was onboard the helicopter at the time of departure, and the extent of his preflight fuel planning could not be determined. Based on the available information, it is likely that the engine lost total power as a result of fuel exhaustion.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.