Bell 47G-2 accident near Miami, Florida, August 5, 1983
On August 5, 1983 at about 9:14 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2 (helicopter), registered N471KC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Tamiami airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- August 5, 1983 · about 9:14 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Tamiami · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2 · all 47G-2s on the register
- Registration
- N471KC · no longer on the register · serial 2422
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT WAS A RATED SINGLE ENG, MULTIENGINE, LAND PLT, BUT DID NOT HAVE A HELICOPTER RATING. DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLT, HE HAD JUST COMPLETED THE FINAL PHASE OF AN AUTOROTATION & THE SKIDS WERE ON THE GROUND, WHEN HE ABRUPTLY PULLED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH TO THE FULL UP POSITION. ACCORDING TO HIS INSTRUCTOR (CFI), THE HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF THE GROUND, THEN THE STUDENT PULLED THE CYCLIC FULL AFT & TO THE RIGHT & FROZE ON THE CONTROLS. THE CFI REPORTED THAT HE OVERPOWERED THE CYCLIC TO LEVEL THE HELICOPTER & WAITED FOR THE IMPACT. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY, TAIL BOOM, CROSS TUBES & SKIDS WERE DAMAGED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,035 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 255 in the last 90 days; 8,617 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,147 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1983; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:39 pm from TMB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N471KC 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.