Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Plymouth Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Plymouth, Massachusetts 02364
Tuesady, March 1, 1994 15:35 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION IN THE BELL 47 HELICOPTER FROM A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI). AFTER A 1.5 HOUR DUAL INSTRUCTION FLIGHT, THE STUDENT AND THE CFI RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT TO REFUEL, AND WERE PLANNING TO DEPART AGAIN FOR ANOTHER TRAINING FLIGHT. AFTER LANDING, THE HELICOPTER WAS LEFT IDLING WITH THE RSP AT THE CONTROLS WHILE THE CFI EXITED THE HELICOPTER TO RETRIEVE THE FUEL TRUCK. THE CFI RETURNED WITH THE FUEL TRUCK, RE-FUELED THE HELICOPTER AND WAS RETURNING THE FUEL HOSE TO THE TRUCK WHEN THE TURNING ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE HOSE AND FUEL TRUCK. THE HOSE IN TURN STRUCK THE CFI. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TRUCK HAD BEEN PARKED ABOUT 3.5 FEET FROM THE TURNING ROTOR BLADES, AND COMPANY POLICY MANDATED A MINIMUM OF A 10 FOOT CLEARANCE. RE-ENACTMENT OF THE HOSE STOWAGE TO THE SIDE OF THE FUEL TRUCK SHOWED A TENDENCY FOR THE HOSE TO DEFLECT UP INTO THE ROTOR TIP PATH PLANE.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance of the fuel truck from the aircraft, which resulted in the main rotor striking the fuel hose and truck during refueling operation. A factor was the pilot's failure to follow company policy pertaining to the refueling of aircraft.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/1/1994 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1535 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | PLYMOUTH |
| Event State | MASSACHUSETTS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 02364 |
| Event Date Year | 1994 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | PLYMOUTH |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PYM |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 149 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1555 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 348 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | NZW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 162 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 320 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 376 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 1 1994 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1657 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 6 2000 10:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7043J |
| NTSB Number | NYC94LA050 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | 47G-5 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 47G-5 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25020 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2850 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PAC LEASING CORP |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PLYMOUTH MUNICIPAL AIRPORT |
| Aircraft Owner City | PLYMOUTH |
| Aircraft Owner State | MA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 02360 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Standing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |