Bell 47-G4A accident near Volcano, Hawaii, September 21, 1992
On September 21, 1992 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bell 47-G4A (helicopter), registered N73279, was substantially damaged in an accident near Volcano, Hawaii. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL AFTER INADVERTENTLY ENTERING A POWER SETTLING CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1992 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Volcano, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47-G4A · all 47-G4As on the register
- Registration
- N73279 · registry record · serial 3134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A LOCAL AREA FOR HIRE SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT TO THE PU'U O'O VENT IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS HOVERING ABOVE THE VENT AT ABOUT 50 FEET AGL WHEN THE HELICOPTER STARTED SETTLING WITH POWER. HE SAID HE TURNED THE HELICOPTER DOWN SLOPE TO MAXIMIZE THE ALTITUDE AND ATTEMPT TO GAIN AIRSPEED. THE PREVAILING WIND WAS NOW FROM THE REAR OF THE HELICOPTER AS THE PILOT FLEW DOWN THE SLOPE AND THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO SETTLE TOWARD THE GROUND. THE PILOT SAID HE CONTINUOUSLY APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH IN AN ATTEMPT TO ARREST THE DESCENT, HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO SETTLE AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER. THE PILOT NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO PREIMPACT FAILURE OF THE HELICOPTER.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,146 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 18, 1992; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kainoa Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ITO Hilo HI at 10:00 pm
- Destination: ITO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°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.
Other NTSB records under N73279 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.