Bell 47J-2A accident near Newburyport, Massachusetts, August 22, 1986
On August 22, 1986 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Bell 47J-2A (helicopter), registered N255PH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newburyport, Massachusetts (Plum Island airport). 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
- August 22, 1986 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Newburyport, Massachusetts · Plum Island
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47J-2A · all 47J-2As on the register
- Registration
- N255PH · registry record · serial 3307
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL POWER LOSS OF THE ACFT ENG WHILE PRACTICING AUTOROTATIONS. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, THE MAIN ROTOR FLEXED AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED ON THE RIGHT TANK WHICH CONTAINED NO FUEL.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.