# Accident 19900513015869A: Bell 47D1, Baltimore, MD, May 13, 1990

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 13, 1990, 10:00 local time
- Place: Baltimore, MD
- Airport: Essex Skypark Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.3907° N, 76.4800° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3907&lon=-76.4800&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4229A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4229A-2026-02-02) (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
- Reported engine: FRNKLN 6V4178*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,878 total, 114 in this make and model, 53 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB BFO90LA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO90LA042) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900513015869A

## Narrative

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

ROCKED FORWARD ON SKIDS AT TOUCHDOWN FROM PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. MAIN ROTORS FLEXED DOWN AND CHOPPED TAILBOOM.

## 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 BFO90LA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO90LA042), May 13, 1990: Bell 47D (N4229A), Baltimore, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT APPLIED EXCESSIVE CYCLIC CONTROL, CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO FLEX AND SEVERE THE TAIL CONE.

## Other reports on N4229A (2)

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

- [Incident 20050413006029I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050413006029I), Apr 13, 2005: Bell 47D1 (N4229A), New Cumberland, PA. (-23) On April 13, 2005, the pilot [privacy data omitted] operated Bell helicopter N4229A from capital city airport until the engine failed due to fuel…
- [Incident 19910330015629I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910330015629I), Mar 30, 1991: Bell 47D1 (N4229A), Butler, MD, Minor damage. Engine quit in flight. Entered autoratation and landed in field. Found two studs on NR1 cylinder were broken.

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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