Bell 47G accident near Oceanside, California, September 19, 1983
On September 19, 1983 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N62221, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oceanside, California. It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1983 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Oceanside, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N62221 · registry record · serial 816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG LOST POWER AT AN ALT OF APRX 400 FT AGL. AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING WAS MADE ON UNEVEN TERRAIN BESIDE A STREAM WITH WEEDS APRX 3 FT HIGH. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION. THE PLT STATED THAT HE SUSPECTED FUEL STARVATION, IN THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE IN THE PROPER POSITION AT TAKEOFF TIME.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 19,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,803 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 1983; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Franklin O-335 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L32 Oceanside CA at 2:44 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.