Bell 47 accident near Thompson Pass, Alaska, March 30, 1991
On March 30, 1991 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Bell 47 (helicopter), registered N73279, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thompson Pass, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND IMPROPER FLARE DURING LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1991 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Thompson Pass, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47 · all 47s on the register
- Registration
- N73279 · registry record · serial 3134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON FINAL APPROACH TO A MOUNTAIN RIDGE AT THE 5,000 FOOT LEVEL, THE HELICOPTER MADE A HARD LANDING. AFTER GROUND IMPACT, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,420 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 5,350 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 5,110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,873 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 1991; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Thompson Pass AK at 7:00 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 98 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N73279 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.