Bell 47-J2A accident near Booneville, Arkansas, September 16, 1992
On September 16, 1992 at about 5:13 pm local time, a Bell 47-J2A (helicopter), registered N291FW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Booneville, Arkansas. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM DURING AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. FACTORS WERE FUEL EXHAUSTION, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS, AND THE PILOT NOT REFUELING THE HELICOPTER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1992 · about 5:13 pm local time
- Place
- Booneville, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47-J2A · all 47-J2As on the register
- Registration
- N291FW · no longer on the register · serial 3303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD FLOWN THE HELICOPTER ON THE POWER LINE AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS AND 8 MINUTES WHEN A POWER LOSS OCCURRED. HE INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE FLARE, HE FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE OWNER OF THE HELICOPTER DRAINED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL FROM THE TANKS AND SAID THAT HE WAS CERTAIN THAT LACK OF FUEL CAUSED THE FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT PERFORMED A CALCULATED FUEL CONSUMPTION CHECK TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT WHICH HE SAID SHOWED A FUEL BURN RATE OF 13.7 GALLONS PER HOUR OR 3 HOURS AND 47 MINUTES OF FLIGHT TIME. HE USED A STOP WATCH IN THE COCKPIT TO ACCOUNT FOR FLIGHT TIME. THE MANUFACTURER STATES THE FUEL SYSTEM HOLDS 47.5 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL, THE ENGINE'S FUEL BURN RATE IS 19 GALLONS PER HOUR AT CRUISE, AND LISTS THE MAXIMUM CRUISE TIME AS 3 HOURS AND 18 MINUTES WITH THE ENGINE LEANED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,134 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 186 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 7,035 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,494 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 16, 1992; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M39 Mena AR at 2:05 pm
- Destination: 4M2 Booneville AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.