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MKC90LA144

1990-07-12 · FAIR OAKS, Arkansas, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N8117

Make / Model
BELL 47D1
Year of manufacture
1967 · 23 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING VO-435 SERIES (260 hp)
Seats / Engines
3 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19900530
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AB1060

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

TAIL ROTOR CABLE DISENGAGEMENT DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE.

Factual narrative

THE COMMERCIAL PLT SAID THAT WHILE CONDUCTING AN AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATION HE FELT A VIBRATION IN THE AIRCRAFT. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO LEFT OR RIGHT PEDAL RESPONSE IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD. HE INITIATED A RIGHT TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRSTRIP AND THE HELICOPTER WOULD NOT RECOVER. IT CONTINUED TURNING RIGHT AND DESCENDED UNTIL IT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE TAIL ROTOR CABLE HAD BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE TAIL ROTOR PITCH DRUM AND HAD WRAPPED AROUND THE FLANGE OF THE PITCH CHANGE DRUM. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE LOCKED IN THE RIGHT PEDAL POSITION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_MKC90LA144.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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