Bell 47G-3B-1 accident near Catawissa, Pennsylvania, October 12, 1991
On October 12, 1991 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 (helicopter), registered N5NH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Catawissa, Pennsylvania. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT FACTOR IN THAT THE PILOT USED POOR JUDGEMENT AND LOADED MORE PASSENGERS THAN WERE SEATS ON THE HELICOPTER THIS RESULTED IN CONTROL INTERFERENCE AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CHECK THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE FOR THE FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN FLIGHT OUTSIDE THE FORWARD LIMITS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 1991 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Catawissa, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B-1 · all 47G-3B-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5NH · registry record · serial 3825
- 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 HAD FUNCTIONING DUAL CONTROLS INSTALLED. THE PILOT BOARDED THREE PASSENGERS, 2 LARGE ADULTS AND ONE CHILD (TOTALING 520 LBS) FOR A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE SEATED IN A DOUBLE SEAT AND HELD BY ONE SEAT BELT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN UNCONTROLLED RIGHT TURN AND THE RIGHT SKID STRUCK THE GROUND FLIPPING THE HELICOPTER OVER. HE SAID THE CYCLIC WAS JAMMED AGAINST ONE OF THE PASSENGERS LEG. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE DISCLOSED THE TAKEOFF CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS 1.3 INCHES FORWARD OF THE FORWARD LIMIT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,850 hours in all; 1,730 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,660 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,403 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-D1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sutliff Farms
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.