Bell 47G-3B-1 accident near Panama City, Florida, May 9, 1986
On May 9, 1986 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 (helicopter), registered N1159W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panama City, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- May 9, 1986 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Panama City, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B-1 · all 47G-3B-1s on the register
- Registration
- N1159W · no longer on the register · serial 2941
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE APPROACHING TO LAND DURING A SIGHTSEEING FLT A LOSS OF ENG PWR WAS EXPERIENCED AND AN AUTOROTATION WAS MADE 70 FT SHORT OF THE HELIPAD. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE PLT STATED AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE ENG CONTINUED TO OPERATE AT IDLE SPEED. POST ACCIDENT TESTS OF THE ENG TO A PWR SETTING HIGHER THAN THE PLT HAD SELECTED AT THE TIME OF FAILURE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. A CHECK OF THE CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART REVEALED THE FLIGHT WAS MADE UNDER CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING AT GLIDE PWR AND VISIBLE CARBURETOR ICING AT RATED PWR. THE PLT STATED HE DID NOT USE CARBURETOR HEAT BEFORE OR AFTER THE LOSS OF ENG PWR.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,246 hours in all; 1,905 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 2,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,344 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 1985; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from PEN, 5 miles away
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 N1159W 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.