Bell 47G-3B1 accident near Lihue, Hawaii, July 31, 1986
On July 31, 1986 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Bell 47G-3B1 (helicopter), registered N700EC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lihue, Hawaii. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1986 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lihue, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B1 · all 47G-3B1s on the register
- Registration
- N700EC · registry record · serial 2945
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPER CRASHED INTO TREES WHILE ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT WHILE HOVERING OUT OF GROUND EFFECT THE MAIN ROTOR AND ENGINE RPM WERE DROPPING BELOW THE MINIMUM OPERATING LIMITS. THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO REGAIN RPM BUT WAS NOT SUCCUSSFUL. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK SEVERAL TREES AND THE HELICOPTER WENT STRAIGHT DOWN. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER, ALSO A PILOT, STATED THERE WAS NOTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION WAS 3,500 FT MSL AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 81 DEGS (F). DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APRX 5,300 FT MSL.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,991 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 7, 1986; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-B1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LIH Lihue HI at 6:00 pm
- Destination: LIH Lihue HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from LIH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.