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Atlas / NTSB / NYC88LA214

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event NYC88LA214

1988-08-11 BIDDEFORD, Maine, United States Airport · B19 Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N14861

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

BELL 47G-5A

Year of manufacture

1972 · 16 years old at event

TCDS

2H3 · SCOTT'S-BELL 47 INC

Engine

LYCOMING VO-435 SERIES (260 hp)

Seats / Engines

3 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19970507

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A0C3AC

Registrant of record

BROWN HELICOPTER INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE HELICOPTER MADE AN APPROACH TO A LOW HOVER ABOVE A HARD SURFACED RWY. THE HELICOPTER WAS SLOWLY AIR TAXIING WHEN THE PLT FELT THE HELICOPTER BECOME UNSTABLE DIRECTIONALLY AND HE CONSIDERED MAKING A RUN-ON LANDING. HOWEVER, BEFORE HE COULD MAKE THE LANDING THE PILOT SAID 'THE NOSE STARTED GOING TO THE RIGHT VERY QUICKLY AND I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE CAREFULLY FORWARD WHICH DIDN'T WORK'. THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY WENT THROUGH ABOUT 360 DEG OF TURN BEFORE STRIKING THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE TEMP AT THE TIME OF THE ACFT WAS 90 DEG F RESULTING IN A DENSITY ALT OF 2200 FT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_NYC88LA214.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.