NTSB investigations: Bell 47G-4A

6 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Bell 47G-4A, where the first occurrence was “Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction”. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.

Defining event

Finding

Phase of flight

Aircraft model

Cases per year

19842026

NTSB investigations: Bell 47G-4A per year, 1984–2026: 6 cases
1984	1
1986	1
1990	1
1993	1
1996	1
2004	1

Where

Open the map

Latest cases

Query with SQL

SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1 WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1181031') AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 130)) ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
  WHERE c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1181031')
      AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o.\"occurrenceNumber\" = 1 AND o.\"occurrenceCode\" = 130))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1181031')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 130))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

Run it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.

NTSB LAX04LA176Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47G-4A · Bakersfield, CAa loss of tail rotor drive due to a disconnection of the drive shaft's splined coupling at the tail rotor gear box. The splined coupling to tail rotor gear box disconnection occurred as a result of tail boom flexing due to the combined effects of an…Apr 3, 2004 · N7NB · Substantial damage NTSB ATL96LA129Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47G-4A (Soloy) · Belmont, MSfailure of the aft universal joint of the tail rotor drive shaft, due to inadequate lubrication by company maintenance personnel. A factor relating to the accident was the pilot's delay in discontinuing the flight after noting a progressively worse tail rotor…Sep 19, 1996 · N23PH · Substantial damage NTSB LAX93LA120Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47G · Bakersfield, CAThe clutch slippage and failure of the pilot to jettison the load.Feb 13, 1993 · N1185W · Substantial damage NTSB FTW90DPJ05Accident · Minor injuriesFinal reportBell 47G-4A · Bixby, OKLoss of control due to undetermined mechanical failure.Apr 14, 1990 · N2238W · Destroyed NTSB LAX86DVA13Accident · No injuriesFinal reportBell 47G-4A · Shafter, CAShortly after departing the loading rig, en route to an agricultural aerial application operation, the forward coupling tail rotor drive shaft failed. The helicopter was about 10 ft above ground level and about 100 ft west of the loading rig. The pilot…Aug 8, 1986 · N1185W · Substantial damage NTSB FTW84LA144Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47G4A · Refugio, TXThe helicopter was being used to herd cattle in a heavily wooded/brushy area. The plt reported he was in a hover maneuver at 50-60 ft AGL when he heard a loud sound from the rear of the helicopter. It immediately pitched nose down & started to rotate to the…Feb 21, 1984 · N7956J · Destroyed