# Accident 19890624017339A: Bell 47G2, Centralia, WA, June 24, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 24, 1989, 08:45 local time
- Place: Centralia, WA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: WPMG
- Location: 46.7391° N, 122.9499° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.7391&lon=-122.9499&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1161N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1161N-2017-02-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-2 (registry code 1181008, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Franklin 6V4 series (registry code 27033, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6v4-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G2
- Reported engine: LYC TVO435*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,000 total, 6,000 in this make and model, 125 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA89LA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA89LA120) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890624017339A

## Narrative

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

LOST TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY ON A SWATH RUN TURN AROUND. HIT GROUND ROTATING TO THE RIGHT.

## 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 SEA89LA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA89LA120), Jun 24, 1989: Bell 47G-2 (N1161N), Centralia, WA, destroyed. Probable cause: THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS CLEARANCE OVER TREES, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT TAIL ROTOR STRIKE WITH THE TREES AND LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. THE TREES WERE A RELATED FACTOR.

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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