Bell 47G2A accident near Immokalee, Florida, September 7, 1991
On September 7, 1991 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Bell 47G2A (helicopter), registered N7573, was substantially damaged in an accident near Immokalee, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
THE IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND, WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE GROUND AND A NOSE OVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1991 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Immokalee, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G2A · all 47G2As on the register
- Registration
- N7573 · no longer on the register · serial 2413
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER INITIATING TAKEOFF HE NOTED THE ROTOR RPM DECREASING. HE STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE THE RPM BY APPLYING AFT CYCLIC CONTROL WHICH HAD NO EFFECT. THE HELICOPTER THEN SETTLED TO THE GRASS SKIDDED FORWARD AND NOSED OVER.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,300 hours in all; 3,100 in this make and model; 9,010 as pilot in command; 1,552 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,219 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1991; 133 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1FHC (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airwork Enterprises Of Florida
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from FMY, 24 miles away
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.
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.