Bell 47D1G accident near West Boca Raton, Florida, July 30, 1996
On July 30, 1996 at about 1:50 pm local time, a Bell 47D1G (helicopter), registered N1200Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Boca Raton, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot to apply carburetor heat following a loss of engine power due to inadequate altitude over a populated area. Contributing to the accident was the encounter with conditions favorable for carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1996 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- West Boca Raton, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47D1G · all 47D1Gs on the register
- Registration
- N1200Z · no longer on the register · serial 0100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While orbiting over a residential area about 150-200 feet above ground level, during an aerial photography flight, the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot initiated an emergency descent for an autorotative landing to a road but the main rotor blades collided with trees resulting in a hard landing. The pilot stated that he did not apply carburetor heat or check the magnetos following the loss of engine power. Examination of the helicopter revealed sufficient fuel quantity to sustain engine operation; no contaminants were found. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Review of a carburetor icing probability chart revealed conditions were favorable for light icing at cruise or descent power.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,400 hours in all; 296 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 4,185 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,658 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 25, 1996; 48 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V-335 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3X1 Delray Beach FL at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from PBI
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.
Other NTSB records under N1200Z 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.