BELL 47 PLT ON SIGHTSEEING FLT HAS ENG SPUTTER TWICE. HE MAKES A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IN A FIELD BTWN 2 CONDOMINIUM STRUCTURES. PROPERTY OWNER IS CONCERNED FOR SAFETY OF ALL ABOARD; AREA'S TOWN OFFICIAL IS EXTREMELY UPSET AT THE LNDG.

Date: 1997-01 · Aircraft: Bell 47

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|other-unspecified

Synopsis

BELL 47 PLT ON SIGHTSEEING FLT HAS ENG SPUTTER TWICE. HE MAKES A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IN A FIELD BTWN 2 CONDOMINIUM STRUCTURES. PROPERTY OWNER IS CONCERNED FOR SAFETY OF ALL ABOARD; AREA'S TOWN OFFICIAL IS EXTREMELY UPSET AT THE LNDG.

Narrative

I HAD BEEN FLYING THE BELL 47 FOR ABOUT 5 HRS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ON MY FINAL FLT; A SUNSET FLT; I WAS ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH MY NORMAL RTE WITH A HONEYMOON COUPLE AND A YOUNG BOY WHO HELPS US AROUND THE ARPT; 500 FT HDG W WHEN THE ENG SPUTTERED. WE DROPPED SOME ALT; THE ENG SPUTTERED AGAIN. AT THIS TIME I DECIDED TO MAKE A LNDG IN AN OPEN VACANT LOT; APPROX 800 FT SQUARE IN A SMALL MUNICIPALITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH. AS I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE ENG WOULD QUIT COMPLETELY. I RADIOED A MAY DAY TO LET SOMEONE KNOW OF OUR SIT. I MADE A R TURN BACK INTO THE WIND AND MADE A STEEP APCH UNDER FULL PWR AND CTL; TO THE CTR OF THE FIELD BTWN 2 CONDOMINIUM UNITS. I THEN RADIOED THAT I WAS ON THE GND AT KEY COLONY AND EVERYTHING WAS ALL RIGHT. THERE WAS NO HAZARD TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY ON THE GND. ALTHOUGH THE ENG HAD RUN SMOOTHLY AFTER LNDG I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE ACFT FOR INSPECTION BY AN A&P. I WAS RECEIVED BY THE LAND OWNER WITH CONCERN FOR OUR SAFETY AND WAS WISHED GOOD LUCK. A TOWN OFFICIAL LAUNCHED A TIRADE AGAINST MY DECISION TO MAKE A LNDG IN THE VACANT LOT; WHICH HE DIDN'T OWN. ALSO; EARLIER IN THE DAY; I WAS VERY BUSY WITH THE TEMPS IN THE HELI REACHING 90 DEGS. I DECIDED TO CHANGE INTO A PAIR OF CUTOFFS. IN DOING SO; I NEGLECTED TO BRING MY WALLET WITH MY PLT'S LICENSE WITH ME. THEREFORE; WHEN THE POLICE ASKED FOR MY LICENSE I COULD NOT DELIVER IT TO HIM AT THAT TIME ALTHOUGH IT WAS PRESENTED TO HIM BEFORE HE FINISHED HIS RPT. I HAD THE ACFT CHKED AND FOUND DRY SEAWEED IN THE FILTER SYS. IT WAS CLEANED AND AFTER GREAT DIFFICULTIES WITH THE TOWN OFFICIAL; I FLEW THE HELI BACK TO THE HELIPAD. WE HAVE SINCE MOVED TO CLEANER FACILITIES AND HAVE ADDED A MORE THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE INDUCTION SYS TO THE PREFLT INSPECTION. HAVE FLOWN THE BELL FOR APPROX 4 HRS WITH NO FURTHER PROBS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.