Bell 47G accident near Miami, Florida, March 3, 1990
On March 3, 1990 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N4837, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Gold Coast airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE LOCATION OF TREES WAS A RELATED FACTOR IN THAT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REACH A SUITABLE LANDING AREA DURING THE AUTOROTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1990 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Gold Coast
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4837 · registry record · serial 1453
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE HELICOPTER PLANNED A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT AND ESTIMATED HE HAD 8 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION ABOUT 12 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF. AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STRETCH THE GLIDE TO A CLEARING TO AVOID TREES, THE ROTOR RPM DECAYED AND A HARD LANDING OCCURRED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 7,800 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,557 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 16, 1990; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V-335 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Miami FL at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 200 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from MIA, 6 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.