Bell 47G-3B1 accident near Thomastown, Mississippi, April 19, 1999
On April 19, 1999 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Bell 47G-3B1 (helicopter), registered N32PH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thomastown, Mississippi. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
An in-flight loss of control caused by the main rotor severing the tail rotor drive shaft as a result of the pilot's cyclic pull-up into a tailwind for his second approach and landing. The loss of the tail rotor caused an uncontrollable descent and tree strike with the main rotor and in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to make a downwind approach and landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1999 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Thomastown, Mississippi
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B1 · all 47G-3B1s on the register
- Registration
- N32PH · no longer on the register · serial 2768
- 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 pulling up the aerial spray rigged helicopter from the platform of the 'nurse truck' in order to reposition for a better placement on the platform, when he experienced uncommanded rotation. His ground crew stated, as he pulled up, a piece of the aircraft flew off and the tail rotor began to spin down. The aircraft went into an uncontrollable rotation, and the main rotor blades collided with an adjacent small tree stand. The helicopter impacted the terrain, the right landing skid collapsed, and the helicopter rolled over on its right side. Subsequent examination of the wreckage and interviews of the pilot, passenger, and ground crew revealed the approach and pull up for the second approach were into downwind conditions. The piece of the aircraft that flew off was a section of the tail rotor drive shaft. Except for the missing piece of shaft, no mechanical abnormalities could be found in the pilot controls, engine, or drive train.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 3,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,767 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 22, 1999; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C-20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from JAN, 45 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.
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.