Bell 47J2A accident near Matoaca, Virginia, November 23, 1990
On November 23, 1990 at about 6:53 pm local time, a Bell 47J2A (helicopter), registered N8514P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Matoaca, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF FOUR PROPELLER RETENTION AND THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE FORCED LANDING APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 1990 · about 6:53 pm local time
- Place
- Matoaca, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47J2A · all 47J2As on the register
- Registration
- N8514P · no longer on the register · serial 3313
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS EN ROUTE WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE LOST POWER COMPLETELY. AN AUTOROTATION LANDING WAS MADE IN A PLOWED FIELD WHERE THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS ONE-THIRD FULL AND THE RIGHT TANK WAS EMPTY. THE LEFT FUEL TANK VENT WAS OBSTRUCTED WITH MUD.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,400 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Lexington Park MD at 5:10 pm
- Destination: PTB Petersburg VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from RIC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.