Plane Crash List

Bell 47G N739B

15 May 1983 · Zachary, Louisiana, United States · Serious injuries

Summary

On 15 May 1983 at about 17:00 local time, a Bell 47G registered N739B, operated by James T Lewis, was involved in an accident near Zachary, Louisiana, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

The record

Date
at 17:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Zachary, Louisiana, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Bell 47G
Registration
N739B
Category
Helicopter
Engines
1
Operator
James T Lewis
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Instructional
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Baker → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
FTW83FA232

People

1 person was seriously injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 1 1 0

Probable cause

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT DURING PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. THE ACFT BEGAN TO SPIN RAPIDLY AND NOSE DOWN. INCREASING THE POWER BROUGHT THE NOSE UP BUT INCREASED THE SPEED OF ROTATION. THE ACFT HIT ON ONE SKID STILL IN A RAPID SPIN. THE OCCUPANTS WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE WRECKAGE AND CRAWL AWAY. THE TAILROTOR GEAR BOX WAS FOUND 100 YDS AWAY. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE GEARBOX STUDS HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Bell 47 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
25 Sep 1983 Bell 47G-4A
N1400W
Wise, Virginia, United States - Minor injuries -
14 Jul 1983 Bell 47J-2A
N8545F
Interior, South Dakota, United States JAY Brent No injuries -
1 Oct 1983 Bell 47G-3B1
N1334X
Pliny, West Virginia, United States
no coordinates
Beartooth Helicopters, Inc. Fatal 1
18 Aug 1983 Bell 47G-3B
N73248
Paxton, Nebraska, United States - Serious injuries -
17 Jun 1983 Bell 47-G3B
N8471E
Litchfield, Minnesota, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
8 Apr 1983 Bell 47G-3B-1
N1397X
Delano, California, United States - Minor injuries -

All 1,633 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
27 Aug 1983 Piper PA-28RT-201T
N8448H
Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States - No injuries -
3 Sep 1983 Grumman G-164A
N7699
Morse, Louisiana, United States - No injuries -
16 Jan 1983 Cessna A185F
N1071F
Loreauville, Louisiana, United States - Serious injuries -
28 Aug 1983 Cessna 152
N89575
Opelousas, Louisiana, United States - Minor injuries -
14 Jan 1983 Piper PA-31-350
N3533U
Belle Chase, Louisiana, United States - No injuries -
29 Sep 1983 Aero Commander S2R
N8890Q
Napoleonville, Louisiana, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States