Event SEA94LA042

Factual narrative

On November 15, 1993, at 1100 PST, a Bell BH-47G3B1 helicopter, N1181W, operated by Tri-City Helicopter, Inc., landed hard at Mesa, Washington. There was no flight plan filed for the local aerial application flight, conducted under 14 CFR 137 in visual meteorological conditions, that originated at the accident site about 1030, November 15, 1993. The commercial certificated pilot was not injured in the accident. The aircraft was substantially damaged. There was no fire. The operator reported that the pilot had approached the landing site with excessive airspeed, flared excessively during landing, struck the tail on the ground, and landed hard. This was followed by the main rotor blades flexing down and striking the tail boom. WHILE COMING IN FOR A LANDING NEAR A CHEMICAL LOADING TRUCK, THE PILOT ALLOWED HIS AIRSPEED TO REMAIN HIGH. DURING HIS ATTEMPT TO LAND WITH EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED, THE PILOT MADE AN IMPROPER FLARE, RESULTING IN THE TAIL ROTOR HOOP HITTING THE GROUND, FOLLOWED BY A HARD LANDING. AS A RESULT OF THE HARD LANDING, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWN AND CUT THROUGH THE TOP TAIL BOOM TUBES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12