# Accident 19890512011449A: Bell 47D1, Shelbyville, TN, May 12, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 12, 1989, 15:00 local time
- Place: Shelbyville, TN
- Airport: Bomar Fld-Shelbyville Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: RXCG
- Location: 35.4892° N, 86.4408° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4892&lon=-86.4408&mi=10
- Aircraft: N908B, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N908B) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47D1 (registry code 1180802, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47d1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Franklin 6V4 series (registry code 27033, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6v4-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47D1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL89DLT03](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL89DLT03) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890512011449A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOUD BANG ENGINE RPM AT RED LINE. SHUT DOWN BUT TOO LOW FOR AUTOROTATION. IMPACT CHOPPED TAILBOOM. NO CAUSE GIVEN.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL89DLT03](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL89DLT03), May 12, 1989: Bell 47 (N908B), Shelbyville, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: FAILURE IN THE ROTOR DRIVE SYSTEM FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO PERFORM AN AUTOROTATION.

## Other reports on N908B (6)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19970811021649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970811021649A), Aug 11, 1997: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Holcomb, MS, Substantial damage. Helicopter was involved in aerial application, hit a telephone line and landed in a field.(.4) the pilot stated the cotton field he was going to spray with…
- [Accident 19940913026889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940913026889A), Sep 13, 1994: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Hazel Green, AL, Substantial damage. Aborted takeoff for unknown condition. Tried slide landing in tall grass skid caught cotton. Broke. Rolled over.
- [Accident 19870708034359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870708034359A), Jul 8, 1987: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Huntsville, AL, Substantial damage. The agricultural spray helicopter settled into crops during a downwind turn. Pilot failed to maintain rotor speed.
- [Accident 19790901023879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790901023879A), Sep 1, 1979: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Hahira, GA, Substantial damage. Lost control of helicopter due to binding fore and aft power cylinder. Situation called for more pressure by pilot.
- [Accident 19770702017889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770702017889A), Jul 2, 1977: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Berlin, GA, Substantial damage. Simplex P/N3630224 failed.
- [Accident 19760604014829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760604014829A), Jun 4, 1976: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Sublette, KS, Substantial damage. Wheat entangled in the skids-pulled acft into ground.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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