Bell 47G-3B1 accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 16, 1990
On June 16, 1990 at about 3:30 am local time, a Bell 47G-3B1 (helicopter), registered N67223, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER DURING MANEUVERING FLIGHT. DARKNESS AND THE PILOT'S MANNER OF FLYING THE AIRCRAFT (OSTENTATIOUS DISPLAY) WERE CONSIDERED TO BE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1990 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B1 · all 47G-3B1s on the register
- Registration
- N67223 · no longer on the register · serial 3471
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AND A FENCE, SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM A FAIR GROUND AT NIGHT ON A SIGHT-SEEING FLIGHT. A HOME VIDEO RECORDING OF THE TAKEOFF SHOWED AGGRESSIVE MANEUVERING OF THE HELICOPTER WITH RAPID CHANGES IN AIRCRAFT ATTITUDE, DIRECTION, AND ALTITUDE. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT MADE A TURN THAT 'WAS NOT SAFE,' AND THEN IT DEPARTED AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 FT AGL BEFORE CRASHING ABOUT 1/8 MI AWAY. ANOTHER WITNESS REPORTED THAT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE HELICOPTER WAS FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE ALONG A ROAD AND NEAR A POWER LINE. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE HELICOPTER WAS IN PROXIMITY OF THE POWER LINE, WHEN IT 'SWUNG TO THE LEFT, THEN TURNED UPSIDE DOWN AND PLOWED INTO THE GROUND.' NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT.
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
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 643 hours in all; 173 in this make and model; 227 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 562 as pilot in command; 333 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,230 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 14, 1990; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Badger Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 3:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from CID, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N67223 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MKC90FA130.