Bell 47-G3B1 accident near Dummerston, Vermont, December 18, 1983
On December 18, 1983 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Bell 47-G3B1 (helicopter), registered N48316, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dummerston, Vermont. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 1983 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Dummerston, Vermont
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47-G3B1 · all 47-G3B1s on the register
- Registration
- N48316 · registry record · serial 3628
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT INITIATED A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION FROM ABOUT 600 FT AGL. AIRSPEED WAS ABOUT 55 KTS WITH LOW M/R RPM DUE TO LOW GROSS WEIGHT. A MODERATE FLARE WAS INITIATED IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE ROTOR RPM, REDUCING THE AIRSPEED TO 40 KTS. HOWEVER, THE APPLICATION OF COLLECTIVE FAILED TO ARREST THE DESCENT RATE & THE T/R STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO VIBRATE. WHEN THE T/R STRUCK, ABOUT 6 INCHES OF ONE TIP BROKE CAUSING MORE VIBRATION. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TOLAND THE HELICOPTER, BUT DRIVE TO THE T/R CEASED TO RESPOND, & THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE RIGHT. THE LEFT SKID STRUCK THE GROUND & COLLAPSED, & THE MAST ASSEMBLY WAS PROJECTED THROUGH THE CANOPY BUBBLE.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,406 hours in all; 679 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 1,331 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,681 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 1983; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Westbrattleboro VT at 4:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N48316 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.