Bihn MINI 500 accident near Gettysburg, OH
On December 19, 1997, a Bihn MINI 500 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Gettysburg, OH. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 19, 1997
- Place
- Gettysburg, OH
- Aircraft
- Bihn MINI 500 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.119°N, 84.501°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X09367
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 19, 1997, about 1450 eastern standard time, a homebuilt Mini 500, a helicopter, N727EB, was destroyed during an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain near Gettysburg, Ohio. The certificated airline transport pilot, with a private pilot helicopter rating, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at the Phillipsburg Airport, Phillipsburg, Ohio, about 1415. No flight plan had been filed for the local flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to witnesses, the helicopter was observed in level cruise flight, at 900 to 1,200 feet above the ground, when they heard the engine noise of the helicopter decrease. This was followed by the sound of two "pops or bangs." Witnesses observed the tail of the helicopter raise up, and an object depart from the helicopter. The helicopter then descended below tree level where it struck the ground nose down. According to one witness: "...I heard a two stroke high pitch engine and heard the rotor blades. I'm a pilot myself and knew from the sound what it was. I went out to see the helicopter and saw it fly past about 1/4 mi away to the east. When it had proceeded aprox 1/4 away behind some trees, I heard the engine stop. I could hear the rotors but no engine noise. Then I heard two loud noise's similar to the sound a shotgun makes. Then I saw something bounce out in a field..." PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot flew for a commercial airline and possessed an airline transport pilot certificate. He had logged in excess of 10,000 flight hours in
Probable cause
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, followed by the main rotor striking the tailboom, which resulted in the separation of a main rotor blade.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
