Bell 47G-2 accident near Mcgee, Mississippi, September 20, 1997
On September 20, 1997 at about 8:32 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2 (helicopter), registered N90485, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcgee, Mississippi. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel starvation, while in maneuvering flight, due to the pilot's improper planning/decision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1997 · about 8:32 pm local time
- Place
- Mcgee, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2 · all 47G-2s on the register
- Registration
- N90485 · registry record · serial 696
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was circling over the house of one of the passengers in about a 50 degree bank angle, when the engine lost power. He stated he immediately executed an autorotation and headed for a hay field. As he turned past trees, the pilot noticed a utility pole and wires. He maneuvered to climb over the obstructions, but the tail boom struck the wires, the controls shuddered, and the helicopter banked to the left. The pilot stated that he leveled off about 20 feet above the ground, then landed in the hay field. Postaccident investigation showed minimal fuel in the tanks.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 411 hours in all; 212 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 340 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 18, 1997; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MS at 8:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N90485 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ATL97LA139.