Bell 47G-2 accident near Cumberland, Kentucky, July 25, 1983
On July 25, 1983, a Bell 47G-2 (helicopter), registered N9046A, was destroyed in an accident near Cumberland, Kentucky. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1983
- Place
- Cumberland, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2 · all 47G-2s on the register
- Registration
- N9046A · registry record · serial 655-8
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS CONDUCTING LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLTS FROM A SCHOOL PARKING LOT. THE LOT WAS ABOUT 75 YDS BY 35 YDS. ON THE SIDENEAR A HIGHWAY THERE IS A SIX-FOOT CHAIN LINK FENCE THE PLT HAD TO CLEAR DURING EACH TAKEOFF. AFTER BOARDING THE PAX THEPLT HOVERED MOMENTARILY TO GET THE FEEL OF THE LOAD & DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF. AFTER CLEARING THE FENCE & ACCELERATING INTO TRANSLATIONAL LIFT, THE ACFT SETTLED & IMPACTED THE HIGHWAY & ROLLED OVER SHATTERING THE M/R BLADES. THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 20 LBS ABOVE THE ALTERNATE LOADING LIMIT (CABIN DOORS REMOVED.)
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,150 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 9,090 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,502 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming V0-435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL83LA291.