Bell 47G accident near Charleston, West Virginia, September 7, 1983
On September 7, 1983 at about 3:55 pm local time, a Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N88754, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charleston, West Virginia (Kanawha airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1983 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, West Virginia · Kanawha · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N88754 · registry record · serial 601
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER SETTLED AFTER TAKEOFF AND ROLLED OVER AFTER TOUCHING DOWN ON SLOPING TERRAIN. ONE OF THE TWO PILOTS ABOARD WAS BEING TRANSPORTED TO RECEIVE A PRIVATE RATING IN HELICOPTERS. HE HAD BEEN ENDORSED FOR SOLO IN THE BELL 47 AND HAD FLOWN THE BELL 47 LESS THAN HALF AN HOUR. HE HAD FLOWN ONLY 1 PLUS HOURS IN THE LAST 90 DAYS NONE OF WHICH WAS IN HELICOPTERS. NEITHER PILOT REMEMBERS WHAT THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS REGISTERED AFTER TRANSITIONING TO FWD FLT. BOTH PILOTS 'PULLED COLLECTIVE' WHEN SETTLING BEGAN. THE ACFT WAS BEYOND THE RWYS END OVER SLOPING TERRAIN AS IT SETTLED. NO ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 554 hours in all; 1 in the last 90 days; 429 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,398 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V4-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRW
- Destination: BKW Beckley WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 4,750 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from CRW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.