Bell 47G-2A-1 accident near Plymouth, Indiana, October 29, 1989
On October 29, 1989 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2A-1 (helicopter), registered N500CD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plymouth, Indiana (Plymouth 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 STUDENT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE CYCLIC CONTROL AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S (CFI'S) INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1989 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Indiana · Plymouth Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2A-1 · all 47G-2A-1s on the register
- Registration
- N500CD · registry record · serial 3458
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW (BFR) FOR THE LEFT SEAT PLT, SVRL PRACTICE AUTOROTATIONS WERE PERFORMED. THE CFI (RIGHT SEAT PLT) RPRTD THAT THE BFR WAS PROGRESSING VERY WELL UNTIL THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN ON A SOD TAXIWAY AFTER THE FINAL AUTOROTATION. HE RPRTD THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SOFT, BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCHDOWN, AFT CYCLIC WAS APPLIED . . .' THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE TAIL BOOM & SEVERED IT. THE CFI RPRTD THE ACCIDENT WAS UNEXPECTED & OCCURRED SO QUICKLY THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO INTERVENE. THE BFR PLT HAD A TOTAL FLT TIME OF 344 HRS WITH 310 HRS IN THIS MAKE & MODEL. THE CFI STATED THE WX WAS CLEAR WITH CALM WINDS.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,934 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 4,315 as pilot in command; 1,735 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,453 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1989; 103 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 52II Plymouth IN at 12:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from SBN, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.