Bell 47G accident near Kettleman City, California, August 20, 1991
On August 20, 1991 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N4062G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kettleman City, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A NON-MECHANICAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION BY THE PILOT'S IMPROPER CALCULATION OF THE FUEL SUPPLY AND SUBSEQUENT HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1991 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kettleman City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4062G · no longer on the register · serial 7628
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING AFTER THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION AFTER 1 HOUR OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT DETERMINED HIS FUEL QUANTITY WAS SUFFICIENT FOR 1 HOUR AND 20 MINUTES OF OPERATION BUT DID NOT KNOW THE QUANTITY OF FUEL ON BOARD AT LAST TAKEOFF. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 15,000 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Shafter Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.