Bell 47J-2A accident near Orlando, Florida, August 7, 1987
On August 7, 1987 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Bell 47J-2A (helicopter), registered N8523F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, 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
- August 7, 1987 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47J-2A · all 47J-2As on the register
- Registration
- N8523F · no longer on the register · serial 3317
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE APCH TO LAND THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE ASSY FAILED RESULTING IN A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL. THE PLT THEN AUTOROTATED & LANDED ON THE COMPANY HELIPAD, DURING WHICH THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE ASSY REVEALED THAT THE FWD SHORT SHAFT FAILED TORSIONALLY APRX 2 INCHES AFT OF THE TRANSMISSION DRIVE COUPLING DUE TO A LACK OF LUBRICATION IN IT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT APRX 40' AGL.
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: 3,000 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,965 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 18, 1987; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-BIB3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from MCO, 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.
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.