How many accidents has the Bell 47 had?

The NTSB has recorded 744 events involving the Bell 47: 84 fatal, 96 serious, 169 minor injuries, and 391 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Bell 47 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Bell 47 has 744 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Bell 47 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 744 events recorded from 1982 to 2026.

744

All Events

391

Incidents

169

Minor

Serious

Fatal (106 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Apr 11, 2008	Denio, NV	N24SD	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadvertent hard landing induced by a perceived loss of power and a main transmission anomaly while maneuvering at low altitude.
Oct 17, 2007	Wautoma, WI	N73223	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter resulting from a distraction in the cockpit. A contributing factor was the distraction due … The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter resulting from a distraction in the cockpit. A contributing factor was the distraction due to the dog in the cockpit.
Sep 12, 2007	Avondale, CO	N360SS	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to attain translational lift and his improper flare. A contributing factor in this accident was the sudden wind shift.
Jul 10, 2007	Jesup, IA	N8140J	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inability to maintain control of the helicopter when it unexpectedly encountered a whirlwind shortly after takeoff.
Sep 18, 2006	Angels Camp, CA	N7762	Incident	substantial	a hard landing due to the pilot's inadequate compensation for a wind shift encountered on final approach and his failure to maintain an adequate trans… a hard landing due to the pilot's inadequate compensation for a wind shift encountered on final approach and his failure to maintain an adequate translational lift airspeed.
Sep 09, 2006	Hayden, AL	N23947	Incident	destroyed	engine fire for reasons undetermined.
Aug 23, 2006	Sanborn, ND	N2251W	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines during the aerial application flight. The power lines were a factor.
Jul 04, 2006	Petersburg, WV	N6738D	Incident	substantial	The passenger's inadvertent interference with the flight controls, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent impact with the grou… The passenger's inadvertent interference with the flight controls, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent impact with the ground.
May 23, 2006	Soledad, CA	N4741R	Incident	substantial	fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations and failure to refuel the helicopter which resulted in a loss of engine po… fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations and failure to refuel the helicopter which resulted in a loss of engine power.
Jan 13, 2006	Dennison, TX	N1575	Incident	substantial	The in-flight separation of the stabilizer bar tube.
Sep 13, 2005	Rock Springs, WY	N24SD	Incident	substantial	the pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the attempted autorotation after he experienced an engine overspeed that occurred for… the pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the attempted autorotation after he experienced an engine overspeed that occurred for reasons undetermined.
Aug 16, 2005	Monette, AR	N8494E	Incident	destroyed	The loss of control as result of a loss of hydraulic pressure for undetermined reasons.
Jul 15, 2005	Black Oak, AR	N4087L	Incident	substantial	The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Jul 05, 2005	Oroville, WA	N38926	Incident	substantial	The failure of the throttle cable housing, which permitted the engine's RPM to decay to the idle position. Contributing factors were the trees and th… The failure of the throttle cable housing, which permitted the engine's RPM to decay to the idle position. Contributing factors were the trees and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
May 19, 2005	Brush, CO	N59403	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the truck trailer during takeoff. A factor contributing to this accident was the truck trailer.
Oct 31, 2004	San Martin, CA	N903B	Incident	substantial	A loss of power for undetermined reasons.
Aug 14, 2004	Muncie, IN	N96MB	Incident	destroyed	The engine failure for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's inability to properly level-off for landing due to the low rotor speed, which resulted … The engine failure for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's inability to properly level-off for landing due to the low rotor speed, which resulted in the hard landing. The low altitude where the engine failure occurred was a factor.
Aug 05, 2004	Troy, TX	N47713	Incident	substantial	The flight instructor's improper flare, resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the high density altitude.
Feb 13, 2004	Kremmling, CO	N83702	Incident	substantial	the pilot's failure to attain landing flare and maintain adequate rotor rpm.
Feb 11, 2004	Salome, AZ	N8AG	Incident	substantial	the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from trees while approaching the landing zone.
Oct 14, 2003	Schaumburg, IL	N90463	Incident	substantial	The commercial pilot not maintaining directional control of the helicopter and the improper flare initiated before landing.
Sep 13, 2003	Greenfield, CA	N7060J	Incident	substantial	the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the wires due to an inadequate visual lookout.
Jul 30, 2003	Jackson, NJ	N7796C	Incident	substantial	Pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to remove a pesticide spraying hose from the helicopter prior to takeoff, which resulted in a loss… Pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to remove a pesticide spraying hose from the helicopter prior to takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control.
Jul 20, 2003	Porterville, CA	N4774S	Incident	substantial	Fatigue-induced failure of bolts in the helicopter's rotor drive flange, which resulted in a total loss of torque to the rotor drive shaft.
Jul 06, 2003	Salinas, CA	N7938J	Incident	substantial	The failure of a piston connecting rod during an aerial application, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing.

Disclaimer: This data is sourced from the NTSB Aviation Accident Database. NTSB events reflect reported accidents and incidents and do not necessarily indicate a defect in the aircraft type. Many events involve pilot error, weather conditions, maintenance issues, or other factors unrelated to the aircraft design. This information is provided for research purposes only — consult official NTSB reports for complete details.

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Bell 47 Safety Record

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