Bell 47D1 accident near Bunnell, Florida, January 3, 1998
On January 3, 1998 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Bell 47D1 (helicopter), registered N59326, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bunnell, Florida (Flagler County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's improper planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 1998 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Bunnell, Florida · Flagler County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47D1 · all 47D1s on the register
- Registration
- N59326 · no longer on the register · serial 45
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was on a supervised solo flight in the traffic pattern, practicing landings and takeoffs. At an altitude of about 300 feet above the airport, the helicopter's engine lost power. The student autorotated to an open field, and the helicopter was damaged during a forced landing. The student said when he checked the fuel gauge during preflight, it indicated '5/8' of a tank, which was confirmed by a 'dip stick test.' When he next checked the fuel gauge after doing some pattern work, it indicated '3/8' tank. According to an FAA Inspector's statement, '...the fuel tank was drained and less than 12 ounces of fuel remained in the undamaged fuel tank...no other maintenance discrepancies were found which may have contributed to the accident.' The flight was about 1 hour and 10 minutes in duration.
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: student
- Flight time: 39 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,589 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 1997; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V4 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wing & Rotor International
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 5,000 ft by 110 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from DAB
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.