Bell 47D1 accident near Winton, North Carolina, August 16, 1991
On August 16, 1991 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Bell 47D1 (helicopter), registered N1MH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winton, North Carolina. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING THE HELICOPTER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1991 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Winton, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47D1 · all 47D1s on the register
- Registration
- N1MH · registry record · serial 473
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AG PILOT WAS LANDING HIS HELICOPTER ON A FIELD ROAD FOLLOWING A LOCAL FLIGHT. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT SKID SETTLED INTO A DITCH. A MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACTED THE GROUND, THEN IT STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM, SEVERING THE T/R DRIVE SHAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN TO SPIN DUE TO THE LOSS OF T/R CONTROL. THE PILOT SET THE HELICOPTER DOWN WHILE STILL SPINNING, AND THE SKIDS COLLAPSED. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE, AND THE PILOT EGRESSED UNINJURED. HE TRUCKED THE WRECKAGE TO HIS HOME IN ARKANSAS PRIOR TO REPORTING 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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,500 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model; 400 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 9,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V-350A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:00 pm from ECG, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.