# Accident 19890823036149A: Bell 47G, Ponce, Puerto Rico, August 23, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 23, 1989, 12:09 local time
- Place: Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Airport: Mercedita
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 18.0088° N, 66.5645° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at MERCEDITA (PSE), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.0088&lon=-66.5645&mi=10
- Aircraft: N955B, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N955B) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G (registry code 1181002, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (registry code 42200, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-435-a1f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 116 total, 77 in this make and model, 22 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA89LA229](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA89LA229) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890823036149A

## Narrative

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

TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT SHEARED FORWARD OF 90 DEGREE GEAR BOX. MADE HARD EMERGENCY LANDING.

## 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 MIA89LA229](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA89LA229), Aug 23, 1989: Bell 47G (N955B), Ponce, PR, substantial damage. Probable cause: FAILURE OF THE AFT TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT.

## Other reports on N955B (1)

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

- [Accident 19910511015429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910511015429A), May 11, 1991: Bell 47G (N955B), Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Destroyed. Got into settling with power. Impacted ground rolled over.

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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