Bell 47D1 accident near Rancho Murieta, California, November 10, 2005
On November 10, 2005 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bell 47D1 (helicopter), registered N16356, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rancho Murieta, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a separation of the tail rotor assembly due to the reverse bending fatigue fracture of a tail rotor pitch change link bolt, resulting in a loss of control of the helicopter, and a hard landing during the uncontrolled descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 2005 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rancho Murieta, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47D1 · all 47D1s on the register
- Registration
- N16356 · registry record · serial 536
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter landed hard following the in-flight separation of the tail rotor assembly. During cruise, the pilot felt a vibration in the anti-torque pedals and attempted to make a precautionary landing in an open field. The tail rotor assembly separated prior to the pilot reaching the landing spot and the helicopter started to rotate and landed hard. The helicopter bounced back into the air, struck the ground again with the transmission bending over the cockpit area. Examination of the tail rotor assembly revealed that one of the pitch change links bolts had separated with the shank portion broken from the threaded portion of the bolt. A metallurgical examination of the bolt revealed that the fracture surface of the shank portion had been subjected to reverse bending fatigue. The arced lines were symmetrical on each side of the shank that culminated in a thin, dark, hourglass-shaped region in the center of the two arced lines. Burnishing observed on the fracture was typical of failures in bolts that have not been properly preloaded.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 61 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,076.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V335-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RIU Rancho Murieta CA at 6:40 pm
- Destination: RIU
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots, gusting 6
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from SAC, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.