Bell 47H-1 accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma, June 4, 1994
On June 4, 1994 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Bell 47H-1 (helicopter), registered N2831B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was a personal 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM, HIS DELAYED LANDING FLARE, AND THE IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1994 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tulsa, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47H-1 · all 47H-1s on the register
- Registration
- N2831B · registry record · serial 1361
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A HELICOPTER PRIVATE PILOT LANDED HARD DURING THE SIXTH PRACTICE AUTOROTATION OF THE DAY. THE LANDING FLARE WAS DELAYED AND THE MAIN ROTOR RPM DECAYED TO THE POINT THAT DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWN AND IMPACTED THE TAILBOOM.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 202 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 91 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,923 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 23, 1993; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V-350A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 5F2
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.
Other NTSB records under N2831B 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.