Bell 47D1 accident near Jeanerette, Louisiana, March 11, 1998
On March 11, 1998 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Bell 47D1 (helicopter), registered N13012, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jeanerette, Louisiana. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The in-flight disconnect of the rotating scissors due to the separation of its hinge bolt.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1998 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jeanerette, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47D1 · all 47D1s on the register
- Registration
- N13012 · no longer on the register · serial 648
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The dual student pilot was practicing landings in the local practice area, and had completed 4 to 5 landings. On the next landing, they were heading west, level at 350 feet agl, with an airspeed of 35 mph. As the student lowered the collective to initiate a steep approach, a severe vertical vibration was encountered. About 2 to 3 seconds later, a severe lateral vibration began. The flight instructor took the controls and continued the descent towards the landing area. At about 10 feet the instructor tried to reduce forward airspeed and descent rate by moving the cyclic aft and raising the collective. 'Neither of those inputs seemed to help a lot and we impacted hard.' The helicopter rolled over to the left before coming to rest heading to the east. There were no reported problems with tail rotor control. Examination of the helicopter by the FAA inspector revealed that the scissor hinge bolt which attaches the scissor to the swash plate was missing. He added that according to the maintenance records, the 5, 258 helicopter, underwent a 100 hour inspection on February 15, 1998, approximately 20 hours prior to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,753 hours in all; 335 in this make and model; 176 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 3,486 as pilot in command; 437 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,258 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 15, 1998; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N13012 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.