NTSB CHI88DET05 — 1988-08-05 · DOWAGIAC, Michigan, United States

Current FAA registration · N2838B

Make / Model: BELL 47J
Year of manufacture: 1957 · 31 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING VO-435 SERIES (260 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19580224
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A2DC92

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N2838B Bell 47J None

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE TO MAINTIAN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM BY THE UNQUALIFIED PILOT.

Factual narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT WITH AN AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND RATING WAS REPORTED TO BE ON HIS FIRST SELF-FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF HELICOPTER. HE REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKING OFF, HE FLEW ABOUT 1/2 MILE & STARTED A TURN, THEN THE ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO TREES AND WAS DAMAGED. THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL PROVIDING POWER AS THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED SMALL TREES DURING THE LANDING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS DATED 8/22/85. RAT NEST MATERIAL WAS FOUND IN THE AIR FILTER IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITY TO ALMOST COMPLETELY BLOCK THE FLOW OF AIR. ALSO, THE PILOT'S LAST MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS DATED 1/2/86. AUTO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS & CARBURETOR. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_CHI88DET05.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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