Bell BH-47G3B2 accident near Des Moines, Washington, March 1, 1990
On March 1, 1990 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Bell BH-47G3B2 (helicopter), registered N4073G, was destroyed in an accident near Des Moines, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, CAUSE UNDETERMINED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT RECOVERED AND EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE WAS NOT POSSIBLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1990 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Des Moines, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell BH-47G3B2
- Registration
- N4073G · no longer on the register · serial 6703
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AND RPM DECREASED FROM 3200 TO 2800. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO REACH SHORE WITH THE AVAILABLE POWER AND DITCHED THE AIRCRAFT IN A SALTWATER BAY. HE WAS RECOVERED FROM THE WATER BY A PRIVATE BOAT. THE AIRCRAFT SANK IN 300 FT. DEEP WATER AND WAS NOT RECOVERED.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,900 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,204 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 16, 1989; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S50 Auburn WA at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from SEA, 5 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.
Other NTSB records under N4073G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.