Bell 47G3 SOLOY accident near Friendsville, Maryland, May 31, 1994
On May 31, 1994 at about 11:35 am local time, a Bell 47G3 SOLOY (helicopter), registered N121CD, was destroyed in an accident near Friendsville, Maryland. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE TURBINE ENGINE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, DURING AN AGRICULTURE MANEUVER AT LOW ALTITUDE, OVER TERRAIN UNSUITABLE FOR AN AUTOROTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1994 · about 11:35 am local time
- Place
- Friendsville, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G3 SOLOY · all 47G3 SOLOYs on the register
- Registration
- N121CD · registry record · serial 3796
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, IN THE TURBINE ENGINE CONVERTED BELL 47. THE HELICOPTER WAS OVER HILLY TERRAIN WITH TREE LINES. THE PILOT WAS FLYING AN UPHILL RUN AT 30 TO 40 FEET ABOVE TREE LEVEL, AT 60 TO 65 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN THERE WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY TO AN OPEN AREA WITH PARTIAL POWER. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK A TREE AS IT APPROACHED THE EDGE OF A CLEARING. AFTER THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON THE GROUND, THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN WITH THE TWIST GRIP THROTTLE. THE TRANSMISSION, THE FREE WHEELING UNIT AND THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WERE EXAMINED, AND NO DEFECTS WERE NOTED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED ACCIDENT RELATED IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE COMBUSTION LINER. THE LINER WAS REPLACED AND THE ENGINE PERFORMED NORMALLY DURING A TEST RUN.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 2,785 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,509 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1994; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from MRB, 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC94LA097.