Bell 47G accident near Ponce, Puerto Rico, August 23, 1989
On August 23, 1989 at about 4:09 pm local time, a Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N955B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ponce, Puerto Rico (Mercedita airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE AFT TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1989 · about 4:09 pm local time
- Place
- Ponce, Puerto Rico · Mercedita
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N955B · registry record · serial 711
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON AN APCH TO LAND ON A X-COUNTRY FLT, WHEN THE AFT TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT (PN: 47-644-187) FAILED AT ABOUT 40' AGL. HE RPRTD THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT, SO HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE & THE SPINNING STOPPED. HE PULLED UP ON THE COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION THE LANDING, BUT RAN OUT OF COLLECTIVE PITCH AT ABOUT 10' ABOVE THE GROUND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD, DAMAGING THE TAIL ROTOR & TAIL BOOM. THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT HAD FAILED JUST FORWARD OF THE 90 DEG GEAR BOX.
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: student
- Flight time: 116 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,837 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 10, 1989; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V-350 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BQN Borinquen PR at 2:30 pm
- Destination: PSE
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 12, 5,529 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:58 pm from PSE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N955B 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.