Bell 47G-4A accident near Carrollton, Alabama, August 23, 1998
On August 23, 1998 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bell 47G-4A (helicopter), registered N7162M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carrollton, Alabama. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight 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 pilots failure to follow written instructions in the flight manual for an engine failure, and the improper use of flight controls (cyclic/collective) during an autorotation resulting in a hard landing, and collision of the main rotor blades with the tailboom assembly. Contributing to the accident was the improper installation of circlips on the counterweight assembly during an engine overhaul. This resulted in a subsequent total failure of the number 5 connecting rod.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1998 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Carrollton, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-4A · all 47G-4As on the register
- Registration
- N7162M · registry record · serial 7569
- 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 pilot stated he was in cruise flight at about 75 feet over trees after completing a swath run when the engine quit. He started a right turn before he entered autorotation, and did not monitor the engine or rotor rpm. He started a deceleration at about 30 feet and pulled all collective pitch. The helicopter collided with the ground hard, and the main rotor blades collided with the tailboom assembly. Examination of the engine assembly revealed 10 of 22 circlips were installed incorrectly during engine overhaul resulting in the subsequent failure of the number 5 connecting rod.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,065 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 9, 1998; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 8:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from TCL, 28 miles away
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.
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.