Bell 47G-3B-1 accident near Rayville, Louisiana, August 22, 1989
On August 22, 1989 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 (helicopter), registered N90463, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rayville, Louisiana (AG Strip airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ROTOR RPM. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE COTTON CROP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1989 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Rayville, Louisiana · AG Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B-1 · all 47G-3B-1s on the register
- Registration
- N90463 · no longer on the register · serial 6669
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT AFTER LOADING FOR AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLT, HE 'BROUGHT THE HELICOPTER TO A HOVER TO CHECK EVERYTHING,' THEN CONTD THE TAKEOFF. HE STATED THAT AFTER LIFT-OFF, HE 'DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT POWER' & 'TRIED TO REGAIN R.P.M. BUT WAS UNABLE.' THE HELICOPTER THEN MOVED FORWARD INTO A 4' HIGH COTTON CROP & TOUCHED DOWN. THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING TOUCHDOWN, HE APPLIED AFT CYCLIC TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER FROM ROCKING FORWARD. ACCORDING TO HIM THE TAIL ROTOR HIT THE GROUND, CAUSING IT TO FAIL & DAMAGE THE MAIN ROTOR. AN FAA INVESTIGATOR RPRTD THAT THE TAIL BOOM WAS CUT OFF & THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE DESTROYED.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,179 hours in all; 420 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 190 in the last 30 days; 6,800 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 13, 1989; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-R1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from MLU, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N90463 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.