On January 1, 1984, a Bell 47J-2 (registration N2097) was involved in an aviation accident near Kahuku, HI. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A helicopter was seen descending in a gliding fashion about three minutes after takeoff before impacting water. Witnesses reported the aircraft appeared stable and the engine sounded normal prior to the accident.
What happened
Approximately three minutes after takeoff, a helicopter was observed by witnesses descending in what appeared to be a controlled glide until it impacted a body of water. One witness noted that the aircraft seemed to be flying straight and did not exhibit any signs of distress or mechanical trouble during the descent. The same witness reported hearing the engine running normally just before the impact occurred.
The investigation
Recovery efforts focused on the submerged wreckage. Investigators were only able to retrieve specific major components from the site. The items recovered included the main rotor blades, the mast, the swashplate control assembly, the transmission, and the engine. No other parts of the aircraft were successfully recovered for examination.