# Accident 19900414009099A: Bell 47G4A, Bixby, OK, April 14, 1990

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 14, 1990, 13:15 local time
- Place: Bixby, OK
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 35.9392° N, 95.8691° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9392&lon=-95.8691&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2238W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2238W-2012-08-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-4A (registry code 1181031, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-4a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming VO-540 series (registry code 41534, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G4A
- Reported engine: LYC VO540*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,300 total, 1,400 in this make and model, 70 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW90DPJ05](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW90DPJ05) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900414009099A

## Narrative

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

LOUD BANG DURING A FINAL SPRAY RUN. SPRAY BOOM HIT THE WHEAT AND HELICOPTER CRASHED EJECTING PILOT. CAUSE UNKNOWN.

## 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 FTW90DPJ05](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW90DPJ05), Apr 14, 1990: Bell 47G-4A (N2238W), Bixby, OK, destroyed. Probable cause: LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO UNDETERMINED MECHANICAL FAILURE.

## Other reports on N2238W (2)

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

- [Accident 19870908050469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870908050469A), Sep 8, 1987: Bell 47G4A (N2238W), Minot, ND, Substantial damage. The helicopter lost rotor speed after encountering its own wake during spraying. Valve failure prevented load dump.
- [Incident 19820514041879I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820514041879I), May 14, 1982: Bell 47G (N2238W), North Brunswick, NJ, Minor damage. Cylinder connecting rod bolt failed. Auto rotated into brush, damaging the tail rotor.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.