Bell 47G-5 accident near La Belle, Florida, October 13, 1991
On October 13, 1991 at about 12:25 pm local time, a Bell 47G-5 (helicopter), registered N1201W, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Belle, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 PILOT IN COMMAND'S IMPROPER AFT APPLICATION OF CYCLIC CONTROL DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD, RESULTING IN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDING WITH THE TAIL BOOM. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IN FLIGHT FAILURE OF THE OUTER BEARING OF THE LOWER GEARCASE INPUT QUILL ASSEMBLY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 1991 · about 12:25 pm local time
- Place
- La Belle, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-5 · all 47G-5s on the register
- Registration
- N1201W · registry record · serial 7819
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 200 FEET AGL WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND A ROARING NOISE. THE PILOT CONDUCTED AN AUTOROTATION TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN IN A TAIL LOW ATTITUDE, NOSED OVER AND SLID FORWARD. THE PILOT STATED, 'I PULLED A LITTLE TOO MUCH AFT CYCLIC AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH THE TAIL BOOM. INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRFRAME SYSTEM FAILURE REVEALED THE OUTER BEARING OF THE LOWER GEARCASE INPUT QUILL ASSEMBLY FAILED FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
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 instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 6,500 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Colony Services, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N1201W 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.