Bell 47D-1 accident near Rome, Georgia, October 28, 1991
On October 28, 1991 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Bell 47D-1 (helicopter), registered N925V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rome, Georgia. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF A TAIL ROTOR BLADE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 1991 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Rome, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47D-1 · all 47D-1s on the register
- Registration
- N925V · registry record · serial 643
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED TWO TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND DURING THE THIRD TAKEOFF FOR ANOTHER APPROACH THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FELT A THUMP IN THE AIRFRAME. IMMEDIATELY, HE ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION AND LANDED IN A WOODED AREA. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER DISCLOSED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX AND TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE MISSING. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR BOTH ASSEMBLIES WERE RECOVERED THE FOLLOWING DAY, HOWEVER THE NTSB WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECOVERY. THE DAMAGED COMPONENTS WERE EXAMINED BY THE OPERATOR AND DESTROYED. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, ONE ROTOR BLADE FAILED IN THE VICINITY WHERE AD 59-05-10 APPLIED; THE AD REQUIRED A DAILY INSPECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES FOR CRACKS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AN INSPECTION OF THE BLADES HAD BEEN COMPLETED PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT.
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; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,990 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,770 as pilot in command; 1,262 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,979 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1991; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6VS-335-50 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Silver Hawk Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from CHA, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ATL92LA017.