Bell 47 Safety Record

STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL WHILE PERFORMING HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS, AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT'S ACTIONS, WHICH RESULED IN HARD LANDINGS. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED STRUCTUALLY AS A RESULT OF CORROSION.

THE FAILURE OF THE DUAL STUDENT TO PROPERLY FLARE DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING AND PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE RIGHT SKID. THE CFI ALSO FAILED TO PROPERLY MONITOR THE STUDENT'S ACTIONS ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS.

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE TAILWIND, HIGH OBSTRUCTION (POWER LINE), AND CROP (BEANS) WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

ATTEMPT BY THE PILOT TO EXCEED THE HOVER PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF THE HELICOPTER, AND OPERATING OUTSIDE THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITATIONS. THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE HELICOPTER'S ABILITY AND HIS SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY PREPARE AND PLAN PROPERLY FOR THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT ARE FACTORS.

THE STUDENT PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE & TREE(S) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM DURING THE PREMATURE LIFT-OFF WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS, AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING, WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED BY ALCOHOL, AND HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE HELICOPTER AND THE STRUCTURE. THE DARK NIGHT AND OBJECT (STRUCTURE) WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS CLEARANCE OVER TREES, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT TAIL ROTOR STRIKE WITH THE TREES AND LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. THE TREES WERE A RELATED FACTOR.

THE PILOTS POOR PLANNING IN ATTEMPTING A HOVER IN UNDESIRABLE CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTING IN THE INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ROTOR ROM. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND HIGH DENSITY ALT.

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTIAN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND OBSTACLE CLEARANCE WHILE HOVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE. A TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRUCK AN OBSTACLE CAUSING AN OVERLOAD SEPARATION FAILURE OF THE BLADE.

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEVELOPING A DANGEROUS SINK RATE DURING THE AUTOROTATION AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION BY EXECUTING A POWER RECOVERY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.

INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT BY THE INSTRUCTOR IN THAT HE ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO OVERPOWER HIS CONTROL INPUTS AFTER AN UNEXPECTED GUST OF WIND MOVED THE TAIL OF THE HELICOPTER.

THE UNQUALIFIED PERSONS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE FENCE. PRESSURE INDUCED BY OTHERS, LACK OF EXPERIENCE, AND OVER CONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS ACCIDENT.

PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY CONTROL THE HELICOPTER DURING AN ATTEMPTED LANDING ON THE BACK OF A TRUCK. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN PERFORMING SIMILAR LANDINGS.

IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE SERVICE TRUCK. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE (VARIABLE) AND GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS AND CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE SERVICE VEHICLE.