Bell 47-G3B1 accident near Hughesville, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1991
On May 15, 1991 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Bell 47-G3B1 (helicopter), registered N2619B, was destroyed in an accident near Hughesville, Pennsylvania. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE FORCED LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 1991 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hughesville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47-G3B1 · all 47-G3B1s on the register
- Registration
- N2619B · no longer on the register · serial 2806
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA TO REFUEL AND PICK UP CHEMICALS TO SPRAY GYPSY MOTHS WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. HE STARTED AUTOROTATING AT ABOUT 500 FEET AGL. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES AT THE EDGE OF A FOREST. A WITNESS SAID THAT THE HELICOPTER MADE A RIGHT TURN ABOUT 10 FEET OVER A FIELD AS IF TO LAND AND THEN PROCEEDED DOWN THE GULLY TOWARDS THE WOODS. HE THEN HEARD THE CRASH.
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: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,552 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,289 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 1991; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hughesville PA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: IPT Williamsport PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from IPT, 10 miles away
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.