Bell 407 accident near Georgetown, Delaware, August 17, 1999
On August 17, 1999 at about 8:44 am local time, a Bell 407 (helicopter), registered N97SP, was destroyed in an accident near Georgetown, Delaware (Sussex County Airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper preflight evaluation of the weather, which resulted in inadvertent flight into IMC. Factors were the fog, and night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1999 · about 8:44 am local time
- Place
- Georgetown, Delaware · Sussex County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 407 · all 407s on the register
- Registration
- N97SP · registry record · serial 53297
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The State Police helicopter departed on a night flight within the state. Climbing through about 200 feet, the helicopter encountered low clouds. The pilot initiated a return to the airport. During the turn to the airport, he lost sight of the ground. The observer called to the pilot just prior to ground impact, and the pilot was able to cushion the ground impact. However, the skids collapsed. The pilot reported that on the way to the airport, he drove through patches of fog. At the airport, he could see 2 miles ground visibility with stars visible overhead, and therefore, he did not check weather. Recorded weather at the airport 1 hour prior to the accident reported a ceiling of 100 feet broken, 700 feet overcast and 10 minutes after the accident, a ceiling of 100 feet overcast. Similar observations were recorded at the closest weather stations to the north and south of the departure airport.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,419 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 902 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 230 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 11, 1999; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C47B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delaware State Police
The flight
- Departed from: GED at 8:44 am
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 22, 4,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 am from GED
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.