Bell 47G accident near Springfield, Missouri, April 27, 1994
On April 27, 1994 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N46DH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springfield, Missouri (Air Park South 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 pilot-in-command misjudging the autorotation and improper use of collective.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1994 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · Air Park South
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N46DH · registry record · serial VH-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND INITIATED A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION FOR A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STUDENT DURING A LOW LEVEL (90 FOOT AGL) AGRICULTURAL TURN. DURING THE FLARE TO LANDING, COLLECTIVE WAS APPLIED EARLY, ROTOR RPM DECAYED AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED WITH A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED INTO THE AIR AND PITCHED NOSE DOWN. BOTH PILOTS APPLIED AFT CYCLIC, RESULTING IN ROTOR BLADE TO FUSELAGE CONTACT, SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM.
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: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 19,000 as pilot in command; 19,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,745 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1994; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin V6-335 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,528 ft by 39 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; not recorded at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from SGF, 12 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.