Bell 47G-4A (SOLOY) accident near Belmont, Mississippi, September 19, 1996
On September 19, 1996 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Bell 47G-4A (SOLOY) (helicopter), registered N23PH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belmont, Mississippi. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the aft universal joint of the tail rotor drive shaft, due to inadequate lubrication by company maintenance personnel. A factor relating to the accident was the pilot's delay in discontinuing the flight after noting a progressively worse tail rotor drive vibration.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1996 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Belmont, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-4A (SOLOY) 47G-4A (SO · all 47G-4A (SOLOY)s on the register
- Registration
- N23PH · no longer on the register · serial 7506
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an aerial application operation, the pilot was making east and west swath runs. He reported that he had dispensed about half of his load, when he noted a vibration in the tail rotor pedals during a turn-around maneuver. He conducted three more swath runs with the vibration becoming progressively worse during each turn-around. Subsequently, during the fourth turn-around, the tail rotor drive was lost when the tail rotor drive shaft aft universal joint failed. Examination of the universal joint revealed a lack of lubricant, and the tail rotor drive shaft was discolored blue. There was no log book entry to indicate that the universal joint had been lubricated in the 150 plus hours of operation since the last inspection. The manufacturer's recommended maintenance practices included lubrication of the universal joint after each 50 hours of operation.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,550 hours in all; 924 in this make and model; 164 in the last 90 days; 143 in the last 30 days; 1,452 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,850 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 30, 1996; 154 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 5:42 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from TUP, 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.
Other NTSB records under N23PH 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.