Bell 47G-4A accident near Bixby, Oklahoma, April 14, 1990
On April 14, 1990 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Bell 47G-4A (helicopter), registered N2238W, was destroyed in an accident near Bixby, Oklahoma. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO UNDETERMINED MECHANICAL FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1990 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bixby, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-4A · all 47G-4As on the register
- Registration
- N2238W · registry record · serial 7704
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE AG PILOT FINISHED HIS LOAD, HE HEADED BACK TO THE TRUCK FOR HIS FINAL LOAD. AS HE PASSED UNDER A POWERLINE HE HEARD A LOUD BANG OR POP, AND THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE RIGHT. HE SAID HE HEARD THE WHEAT HITTING THE SKID BOOMS, AND THEN THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED HARD ON THE TOES OF THE SKIDS. HIS SEAT BELT FAILED AND HE WAS THROWN THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE HELICOPTER. HE SAID HE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER WAS DEMOLISHED BY IMPACT AND POST-IMPACT FIRE. THE FAA INVESTIGATORS SAID THAT DUE TO THE DAMAE CAUSED BY THE IMPACT, DAMAGED CAUSED BY THE FIRE, AND DAMAGE CAUSED BY MOVEMENT OF THE WRECKAGE, THEY COULD NOT FIND A COMPONENT FAILURE THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. THE FIRST SKID MARKS STARTED UNDER THE POWERLINES, BUT THE POWER LINES WERE NOT DAMAGED.
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: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,406 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 1989; 231 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming VO 540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Bixby OK at 6:15 pm
- Destination: Bixby OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N2238W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW90DPJ05.