Bell B47G-5 accident near Shell Knob, Missouri, June 11, 1990
On June 11, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Bell B47G-5 (helicopter), registered N7089J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shell Knob, Missouri. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
VISUAL OUTLOOK NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Shell Knob, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell B47G-5
- Registration
- N7089J · no longer on the register · serial 25032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAKING AERIAL PHOTOS OF A BOAT ON A LAKE, THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS BLINDED BY THE SUN AND INADVERTENTLY COLLIDED WITH UNMARKED POWER LINES. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO FLY THE DAMAGED HELICOPTER TO NEARBY LEVEL TERRAIN AND LAND. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE AIRFRAME DURING THE SHUT DOWN, DUE TO IMBALANCE OF THE MAIN ROTOR.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,372 hours in all; 685 in this make and model; 229 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 4,158 as pilot in command; 2,260 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Shell Knob MO at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N7089J 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.