Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Payson, Arizona 85541
Tuesady, June 2, 1987 9:05 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A BELL 47G-3B-1 COLLIDED WITH TREES AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DESTROYED BY FIRE AFTER A LOSS OF POWER IN A REMOTE WILDERNESS AREA. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ENGINE WENT TO IDLE DURING FLIGHT. HE WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN ENGINE RPM BY MANIPULATION OF THE THROTTLE. THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO ENTER AUTOROTATION. THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO ENTER TREES DURING THE LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY THE FAA. THE EXAMINING INSPECTOR STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTROL CONTINUITY OF THE HELICOPTERS THROTTLE LINKAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 905
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PAYSON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85541
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2197
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35758
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73916
NTSB Number LAX87LA222
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 47G-3B-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G-3B-1
Aircraft Serial Number 2805
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 27 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 3808
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SHERRILL, CHARLES B.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5850 CAMEL DALE WAY
Aircraft Owner City PARADISE VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SHERRILL FARMS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5001 E. WASHINGTON
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85004
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SDL
Departure City SCOTTSDALE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 750
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --