Collision with terrain involving a Bell Helicopter Co 47G-3B, VH-JLB, 3km NE Point Telfer, NT on 10 February 1993

The pilot had commenced a takeoff from a low hover when the helicopter nosed up sharply. He lowered the collective pitch lever and opened the throttle, suspecting over-pitching as the cause. The helicopter struck the ground in a slightly nose low attitude with the right hand skid while moving forwards and to the right. The skid separated and the helicopter cartwheeled forwards before coming to rest on its right side. A bellcrank from the cyclic control system of the helicopter was found fractured after the accident. Metallurgical analysis of the part found that the failure was caused by impact forces experienced during the accident sequence. The reason for the loss of pitch control was not determined.