Bell 47G2A1 incident near Near Mertzon, Texas, July 3, 1982
On July 3, 1982 at about 4:13 pm local time, a Bell 47G2A1 (helicopter), registered N73983, suffered minor damage in an incident near Near Mertzon, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1982 · about 4:13 pm local time
- Place
- Near Mertzon, Texas · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G2A1 · all 47G2A1s on the register
- Registration
- N73983 · no longer on the register · serial 2873
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING HOVERED LOW AND SLOW AROUND A WATER TROUGH, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST. THE PILOT AUTOROTATED TO THE GROUND AND ON TOUCHDOWN THE RIGHT SKID BUCKLED AND THE TAILROTOR GEARBOX SEPARATED WHEN IT STRUCK AN ANT HILL. THE PILOT ORIGINALLY REPORTED THAT ONE OF THE TAILROTOR BLADES HAD SEPARATED IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE FATIGUE. HOWEVER METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED PARTS INDICATED THAT ALL OF THE FRACTURES HAD OCCURED IN OVERLOAD. THE REPORTED WINDS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONDUCIVE TO LOSS OF TAILROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AT LOWER AIRSPEEDS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,464 hours in all; 186 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 125 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,972 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Near Mertzon TX
- Destination: Near Mertzon TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 165° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 185°F (85°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.