Bell 47G accident near Saluda, South Carolina, September 19, 1997
On September 19, 1997 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N70747, was destroyed in an accident near Saluda, South Carolina. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
in-flight collision with a tree, for undetermined reason(s).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1997 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Saluda, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N70747 · no longer on the register · serial 1329
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the day of the accident, the pilot/owner of a helicopter (hel) arrived at the airport with the hel on a flatbed trailer. A CFI was to fly with the owner & give him instruction to eventually obtain a hel rating. There were no witnesses to the pre-flight, takeoff, or flight. Some people at the airport, who knew the CFI, were aware that he was going to provide instruction to the owner. They also had knowledge that the owner had very little flight time in the hel, and that instruction would include basics of hel instruction, including hovering & autorotations. Two watches, found in the wreckage, were stopped at 1410. About 1520, the local fire department was notified of a fire located about 1 mile northeast of the airport. The hel was found in a heavily wooded area, consumed by fire. Also, there was a tree near the hel wreckage, which was found broken. No other broken trees were found in the area. All the parts of the hel were found within the impact area. The tachometer was found in the wreckage with the face destroyed by heat damage, rendering the numbers unreadable. However, the needles were still in place & were split with the smaller needle (rotor) about 45 degree split from the large needle (engine). Examination of the wreckage, including partial teardown of the engine & teardown of the transmission, did not reveal any discrepancies.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: instrument helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin O-335-5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 6J4
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from CAE, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.