Bell 47 Safety Record
Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 744 events recorded from 1982 to 2026.
| Date | Location | Reg# | Severity | Damage | Probable Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 1993 | BERLIN, WI | N8458E | Minor | destroyed | THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO SEE THE OBSTRUCTION. |
| Mar 20, 1993 | GREENFIELD, CA | N7080J | Minor | substantial | THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE POWER LINES WHILE PERFORMING AN AERIAL APPLICATION RUN. |
| Dec 07, 1992 | BELLE GLADE, FL | N7925J | Minor | substantial |
THE IMPROPER IN FLIGHT DECISION OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ATTEMPT AN AGRICULTURAL TURN WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ACCOMPLISH THE MANEUVER. CONTRIB…THE IMPROPER IN FLIGHT DECISION OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ATTEMPT AN AGRICULTURAL TURN WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ACCOMPLISH THE MANEUVER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITIES. |
| Nov 04, 1992 | PALM BEACH, FL | N94720 | Minor | substantial | THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM DURING THE AUTOROTATION. |
| Oct 31, 1992 | GONZALES, CA | N919SF | Minor | destroyed | THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE WIRES. |
| Sep 21, 1992 | VOLCANO, HI | N73279 | Minor | substantial | THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL AFTER INADVERTENTLY ENTERING A POWER SETTLING CONDITION. |
| Jul 04, 1992 | MESA, AZ | N4798R | Minor | destroyed |
A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNKNOWN REASON (S). FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE 1) LOW ALTITUDE WHEN THE PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED 2) LOW…A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNKNOWN REASON (S). FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE 1) LOW ALTITUDE WHEN THE PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED 2) LOW ROTOR RPM AS A RESULT OF THE LOSS OF POWER, AND 3) THE PILOT NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE AND ROTOR RPM. |
| Apr 02, 1992 | FAYETTE, MS | N322A | Minor | substantial |
THE PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO INSURE THE PROPER FUEL QUANTITY FOR THE FLIGHT WAS PLACED ON THE AIRCRAFT AND HIS FAILURE TO MONITOR FUEL QUANTITY DU…THE PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO INSURE THE PROPER FUEL QUANTITY FOR THE FLIGHT WAS PLACED ON THE AIRCRAFT AND HIS FAILURE TO MONITOR FUEL QUANTITY DURING FLIGHT RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. |
| Oct 12, 1991 | CATAWISSA, PA | N5NH | Minor | substantial |
PILOT FACTOR IN THAT THE PILOT USED POOR JUDGEMENT AND LOADED MORE PASSENGERS THAN WERE SEATS ON THE HELICOPTER THIS RESULTED IN CONTROL INTERFERENCE …PILOT FACTOR IN THAT THE PILOT USED POOR JUDGEMENT AND LOADED MORE PASSENGERS THAN WERE SEATS ON THE HELICOPTER THIS RESULTED IN CONTROL INTERFERENCE AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CHECK THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE FOR THE FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN FLIGHT OUTSIDE THE FORWARD LIMITS. |
| Oct 04, 1991 | CLEWISTON, FL | N3655F | Minor | substantial | THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE WHILE MANEUVERING RESULTING IN AN IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH A GUY WIRE. |
| Sep 26, 1991 | PEARSALL, TX | N59424 | Minor | destroyed | THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT FOR OBSTACLES DURING OPERATIONS FROM A REMOTE SITE. |
| Sep 14, 1991 | KEAAU, HI | N6708D | Minor | substantial | THE PILOT'S LANDING HARD. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE AIRCRAFT EMITTING A VIBRATION FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. |
| Sep 12, 1991 | MILTONFREEWATER, OR | N73865 | Minor | substantial |
PILOT FACTOR IN THAT THE PILOT FAILED TO INSURE THERE WAS ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES FOR A SAFE TAKEOFF. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILO…PILOT FACTOR IN THAT THE PILOT FAILED TO INSURE THERE WAS ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES FOR A SAFE TAKEOFF. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION. |
| Sep 10, 1991 | CHULA VISTA, CA | N2618D | Minor | substantial |
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER AIRSPEED AND MISJUDGING THE LANDING FLARE ALTITUDE. THE POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON AND …THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER AIRSPEED AND MISJUDGING THE LANDING FLARE ALTITUDE. THE POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON AND THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FLOAT EQUIPPED HELICOPTER WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT. |
| Aug 20, 1991 | KETTLEMAN CITY, CA | N4062G | Minor | substantial | A NON-MECHANICAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION BY THE PILOT'S IMPROPER CALCULATION OF THE FUEL SUPPLY AND SUBSEQUENT HARD LANDING. |
| Jun 01, 1991 | COLT, AR | N31052 | Minor | destroyed | LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. A FACTOR WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. |
| Apr 27, 1991 | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX | N1195W | Minor | destroyed |
THE INITIAL RESTRICTED MOVEMENT AND EVENTUAL LOCKING OF THE CYCLIC CONTROL AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF THE LATERAL SERVO. A FACTOR WAS THE INSTALLAT…THE INITIAL RESTRICTED MOVEMENT AND EVENTUAL LOCKING OF THE CYCLIC CONTROL AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF THE LATERAL SERVO. A FACTOR WAS THE INSTALLATION OF THE FAILED COMPONENT BY AN UNQUALIFIED PERSON. |
| Apr 20, 1991 | HARWICH, MA | N1166W | Minor | substantial |
A FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH DURING TAKEOFF DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ESTABLIS…A FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH DURING TAKEOFF DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ESTABLISH AN AUTOROTATION. |
| Sep 02, 1990 | CANON CITY, CO | N73957 | Minor | substantial | THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE PATTERN ALTITUDE AND THE POSSIBLE EXISTENCE OF ADVERSE WINDS DUE TO THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN. |
| Jul 12, 1990 | FAIR OAKS, AR | N8117 | Minor | substantial | TAIL ROTOR CABLE DISENGAGEMENT DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE. |
| May 21, 1990 | LAKE WALES, FL | N1390X | Minor | destroyed |
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND A POWER LINE POLE WHILE MANEUVERING DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION …THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND A POWER LINE POLE WHILE MANEUVERING DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. |
| May 04, 1990 | RIVERSIDE, CA | N9FK | Minor | substantial |
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRCRAF…THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT. |
| Apr 14, 1990 | BIXBY, OK | N2238W | Minor | destroyed | LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO UNDETERMINED MECHANICAL FAILURE. |
| Mar 03, 1990 | MIAMI, FL | N4837 | Minor | substantial |
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE LOCATION OF TREES WAS A RELATED FACTOR I…INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE LOCATION OF TREES WAS A RELATED FACTOR IN THAT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REACH A SUITABLE LANDING AREA DURING THE AUTOROTATION. |
| Dec 02, 1989 | RIALTO, CA | N2899B | Minor | destroyed |
THE PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT OVERCONTROL WHILE HOVERING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS AND THE…THE PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT OVERCONTROL WHILE HOVERING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE. |