Bell 47G accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma, December 1, 2001
On December 1, 2001 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N5226, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma (Ardmore Downtown Executive 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 selection of an unsuitable area for practicing a full touchdown autorotation, which resulted in a nose over. A contributing factor was the soft ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2001 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ardmore, Oklahoma · Ardmore Downtown Executive · map
- 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
- N5226 · no longer on the register · serial 37
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot had completed three power recovery autorotations to the south, and the flight instructor was to demonstrate a "full touchdown autorotation" to end the training session. The flight instructor initiated the autorotation at 1,500 feet msl and 60 knots to the airport's mid-field median. After slowing to 40 knots, the instructor began a flare to reduce the airspeed to 15-20 knots. At 10 feet agl, he pulled collective to cushion the landing. The helicopter touched down on the soft grassy area and slid for approximately 10 feet before starting to nose over. "The tail of the helicopter pitched upward into the blades, severing it." The helicopter rotated left approximately 270 degrees before coming to rest upright. The flight instructor stated that "weather had saturated the ground and caused the sod to be soft on the usual landing area. It was not visible from the helicopter."
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 450 hours in all
- Last flight review: August 21, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Last flight review: September 26, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,438 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A-355-B1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1F0 Ardmore OK at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:29 pm from 1F0
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.
Other NTSB records under N5226 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.