Bell 47-G3-B1 accident near Palm Beach, Florida, November 4, 1992
On November 4, 1992 at about 3:05 pm local time, a Bell 47-G3-B1 (helicopter), registered N94720, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Beach, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM DURING THE AUTOROTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 1992 · about 3:05 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47-G3-B1 · all 47-G3-B1s on the register
- Registration
- N94720 · registry record · serial 67-159115
- 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 AGRICULTURAL PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD COMPLETED HIS SPRAYING AND HAD LANDED, WHEN A GROVE WORKER REQUESTED A RIDE OVER THE GROVE. WHILE MANEUVERING AT 150 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. DURING THE AUTOROTATION, THE ROTOR RPM DECAYED AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,611 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 2,454 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,656 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1991; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Colony Helicopters INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:57 pm from PBI, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA93LA014.