Bell 47G accident near Searchlight, Nevada, October 18, 2015
On October 18, 2015 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1962 Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N73224, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Searchlight, Nevada. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a tree during hover flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2015 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Searchlight, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G 3B, built 1962 · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N73224 · registry record · serial 2759
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a helicopter reported that during a 10 foot hover, he encountered a gust of wind and felt the tail rotor impact a tree. The pilot initiated an autorotation, but the main rotor impacted the tail boom during the descent and the helicopter rolled over after touchdown. The main rotor and tail boom were substantially damaged. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during maneuvering (hover)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
- Autorotation Loss of control in flight defining event
- Autorotation Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 12,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 5,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 20, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,986 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming TVO-435-B1A (piston); 8,178 hours total
- Operator: US Helicopter LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: Searchlight NV at 3:00 pm
- Destination: Searchlight NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KBVU, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N73224 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.