On April 10, 1985, a Bell 47G-2 (registration N54522) was involved in an aviation accident near Panama City Bch, FL. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot carrying two paying passengers for a sightseeing ride reported engine sputtering and cyclic stick shaking before the aircraft struck the water with a high descent rate. The pilot did not have a certificate.
Accident Details
A helicopter carrying a pilot and two paying passengers for a sightseeing flight struck the water shortly after takeoff. The pilot reported that approximately two minutes after departing from a beach helipad, he felt the engine sputter and the cyclic stick shake. Less than ten seconds later, the aircraft hit the water in a level attitude with a very high rate of descent.
Pilot's Account
The pilot stated that he had completed 14 flights and the engine had been run for about 30 minutes since he topped off the fuel tanks the night before. He expressed doubts about the accuracy of the fuel quantity gauge but did not visually check the tanks that morning. The pilot did not possess a pilot's certificate.
Background
The flight was a sightseeing ride with two paying passengers. The pilot had refueled the aircraft the previous evening and had flown multiple flights since then. No further details about the aircraft or the circumstances were provided.