Bell-Transworld Helicopter Cor 47G-2 accident near Wichita Falls, Texas, August 28, 2013
On August 28, 2013 at about 1:45 pm local time, a 1979 Bell-Transworld Helicopter Cor 47G-2, registered N8051E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Wichita Falls, Texas. 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The delayed remedial action by the flight instructor during a simulated autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2013 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita Falls, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell-Transworld Helicopter Cor 47G-2, built 1979
- Registration
- N8051E · registry record · serial TWH-15
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the flight instructor initiated a simulated autorotation during an instructional flight, he instructed the student pilot to perform a power recovery. However, the student pilot delayed increasing the power, and the rotor rpm decayed. The flight instructor realized that it was too late to make a full recovery, so he took the flight controls and leveled the helicopter for touchdown and pulled the collective. The helicopter landed hard in a soft field, which resulted in damage to the tail rotor and main rotor blades. The flight instructor stated that he deviated from his normal procedure for recovery from a simulated forced landing and that, if he had used the procedure, the accident may not have happened.
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
What happened, in order
- Autorotation Attempted remediation/recovery
- Attempted remediation/recovery during uncontrolled descent
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Student/instructed pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 7,200 as pilot in command; 3,700 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 10, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 330 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 221 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 10, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,665 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO435A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Wichita Falls TX at 2:30 pm
- Destination: Wichita Falls TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from CWC, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.