Bell 47G-2 accident near Moundsville, West Virginia, June 17, 1989
On June 17, 1989 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2 (helicopter), registered N2487B, was destroyed in an accident near Moundsville, West Virginia (Marshall County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTIAN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND OBSTACLE CLEARANCE WHILE HOVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE. A TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRUCK AN OBSTACLE CAUSING AN OVERLOAD SEPARATION FAILURE OF THE BLADE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1989 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Moundsville, West Virginia · Marshall County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2 · all 47G-2s on the register
- Registration
- N2487B · registry record · serial 1499
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS HOVERING THE ACFT ABOUT 3 FT AGL OVER A FIELD IN AN ATTEMPT TO DRY OFF THE FIELD WITH THE ROTOR WASH. THE FIELD WAS TO BE USED FOR AN OUTDOOR CONCERT. THE PLT WAS MANEUVERING THE ACFT BETWEEN BARRELS WHEN HE INADVERTENTLY BACKED INTO ONE. THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE BARREL AND A BLADE WAS SEVERED. THE ACFT SPUN AROUND, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER. THE PLT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE HELICOPTER. THE PLT RECEIVED A ROTORCRAFT RATING EIGHT DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT STATED HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE WAS A FACTOR IN 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,954 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 205 in the last 90 days; 92 in the last 30 days; 4,049 as pilot in command; 2,165 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,139 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 23, 1988; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 74D at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:24 pm from PKB, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.