PANAMA CITY BCH, FL, USA
N10065
BELL 47-D1
THE PILOT HAD INTENDED TO HOVER THE HELICOPTER AND ALLOW A 'CLOWN' TO TOUCH THE SKIDS WHILE A PHOTOGRAPHER RECORDED THE EVENT LOOKING UPWARD TO GIVE THE APPEARANCE THAT THE 'CLOWN' WAS HANGING FROM THE SKID. THE 'CLOWN' GRABBED THE LEFT REAR SKID AND THE PILOT ADDED POWER AND FULL RIGHT FORWARD CYCLIC CONTROL. THE PILOT THEN ADDED MORE POWER AND LOST PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE THEN CIRCLED OVER THE HIGHWAY AND THE HELIPORT BUILDING BEFORE CRASHING NOSE LOW INTO AN ADJACENT PARKING LOT. THE 'CLOWN' JUMPED FROM THE HELICOPTER JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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