Bell 47J accident near Lakeway, Texas, May 26, 1996
On May 26, 1996 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Bell 47J (helicopter), registered N8412E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeway, Texas. It was a personal 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 a proper descent rate prior to landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 1996 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeway, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47J · all 47Js on the register
- Registration
- N8412E · no longer on the register · serial 1800
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while flying approximately 200 feet AGL over a lake, he 'felt a push/cross wind (wind shear).' He stated that, 'it felt as if it were pushing me into the ground.' He then lowered the collective and 'added' forward cyclic to increase forward airspeed. After selecting a landing site, the pilot attempted to control the descent but, 'nothing was working' and the helicopter 'was going down fast.' Just prior to landing, the pilot 'flared with collective full up to lighten the impact.' The tail boom was structurally damaged during the landing due to impact with a large rock adjacent to the landing site. The pilot reported 20 knot winds, gusting to 30 knots. He stated that he encountered a quartering head wind during his approach to the landing site. According to the manufacturer, the reported wind component encountered would not have exceeded the performance capability of the helicopter. According to the pilot, gross weight limitations were not exceeded during the flight.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,746 hours in all; 2,517 as pilot in command; 189 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3R9 Austin TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.