Bell 47G2 accident near Homestead, Florida, March 30, 1983
On March 30, 1983 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Bell 47G2 (helicopter), registered N47WJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homestead, Florida (Homestead airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- March 30, 1983 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · Homestead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G2 · all 47G2s on the register
- Registration
- N47WJ · no longer on the register · serial CC1463
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE MADE A NORMAL CROSSWIND APPROACH FOR LANDING, NEARING GROUND AT ABOUT 4 OR 5 FEET AGL. IN EXTREMELY GUSTY WEATHER, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND FIRST, WENT VERTICAL ABOUT 10 OR 15 FEET THEN LOST LIFT AND DROPPED TO GROUND HARD, LANDING ON LEFT SIDE. TURNED OVER ON LEFT SIDE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,200 hours in all; 3,200 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 11 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,944 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 1983; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTH Marathon FL at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:49 pm from TMB, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N47WJ 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.