Bell-Watson 47 G accident near North Little Rock, Arkansas, January 29, 2015
On January 29, 2015 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1992 Bell-Watson 47 G (helicopter), registered N43762, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Little Rock, Arkansas (North Little Rock Muni airport). 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 flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm during the practice touchdown autorotation, which resulted in a subsequent loss of helicopter control and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2015 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- North Little Rock, Arkansas · North Little Rock Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell-Watson 47 G, built 1992
- Registration
- N43762 · no longer on the register · serial W1007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he was demonstrating a power-off touchdown autorotation to a large, open paved ramp area. He added that, while flaring the helicopter for touchdown, the rotor "seemed to run have out of energy" but that the rotor tachometer indications did not indicate a reduction in rotor rpm. The tail skid subsequently contacted the asphalt, and the helicopter bounced into a nose-low attitude. The main rotor blades then struck the pavement and the tailboom, which resulted in the complete separation of the tail rotor assembly, the partial separation of both main rotor blades, and damage to the skid gear. The helicopter rotated right about 180 degrees from the landing direction and came to rest upright. A postaccident examination of the helicopter, including the dual tachometer indicator and the rotor tachometer indicator, found no preaccident anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The accident sequence is consistent with an inadvertent loss of rotor rpm and subsequent loss of helicopter control.
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 Miscellaneous/other defining event
- Autorotation Attempted remediation/recovery
- Autorotation Loss of control in flight
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Part(s) separation from AC during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Rotorcraft flight control › Main rotor control › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 250 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 15, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 9 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 260 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 10, 2015; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin O-335-5D (piston); 260 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORK North Little Rock AR at 10:40 pm
- Destination: ORK North Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,019 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KLIT, 7 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.