Bell 47G-3B-1 accident near Borinquen, Puerto Rico, September 29, 1996
On September 29, 1996 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 (helicopter), registered N1397X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Borinquen, Puerto Rico (Rafael Hernandez airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 failed to maintain control of the aircraft while hover taxing. Factors in this accident were wind gusts and a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1996 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Borinquen, Puerto Rico · Rafael Hernandez
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B-1 · all 47G-3B-1s on the register
- Registration
- N1397X · registry record · serial 6585
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had landed in the grass near runway 8, turned left to hover taxi, which resulted in the helicopter hovering with a 20 knot tail wind. The helicopter was hover taxiing about 18 inches above the ground, when the left front landing skid struck the ground, resulting in the main rotor blades striking the ground. This was the pilot's first solo flight as a student helicopter pilot, after being endorsed for solo flight the day before the accident. The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 070 degrees at 20 knots with gusts to 25 knots.
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: private, student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 45 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,218 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-D1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N1397X 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.