NTSB CAROL · Event
Event NYC86LA061
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
PILOT STATED HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO POSITION THE BELL 47 HELICOPTER ON A SMALL PAD. THIS PAD WAS TOO NARROW TO ACCOMMODATE THIS ACFT AND THE RIGHT SKID SLIPPED OFF THE PLATFORM. THE PILOT THEN REQUESTED HIS PASSENGER TO DEPLANE. AFTER THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO REPOSITION THE ACFT. AT A HOVER OF APPROX 3 FT, THE ACFT STARTED TO ROTATE ABOUT ITS MAST AND HYDRAULIC ASSIST ON THE CYCLIC APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN LOST.THE PILOT ALSO LOST PEDAL CONTROL. THE PILOT THEN LANDED HARD, AND EXITED THE ACFT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ACFT ERUPTED IN FLAMES AND WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. NEITHER PILOT OR PASSENGER WERE INJURED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1986_NYC86LA061.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
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