NTSB investigations: Bell 47G-5

6 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Bell 47G-5, 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

19862026

NTSB investigations: Bell 47G-5 per year, 1986–2026: 6 cases
1986	2
1991	1
1995	2
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 ('1181032') 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 ('1181032')
      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 ('1181032')
    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 MIA04GA117Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportBell 47G-5 · Bunnell, FLThe pilot's continued flights and inadequate inspections after repeated tail rotor guard ground strikes due to improper flaring, which resulted in an in-flight failure of tail rotor drive shaft components, a loss of control, and the helicopter crash.Aug 4, 2004 · N232MC · Substantial damage NTSB LAX95LA216Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47-G5 · Coalinga, CAclutch slippage for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the helicopter's low above ground altitude, which limited the pilot's time and ability to recover main rotor rpm.Jun 18, 1995 · N7923J · Destroyed NTSB FTW95LA239Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47G-5 · Falfurrias, TXInadvertent installation of an unapproved part (tail rotor gear/drive assembly), that became excessively worn since it did not conform to the manufacturer's specification, resulting in failure of the associated tail rotor bearing (also an unapproved part),…May 30, 1995 · N1502L · Substantial damage NTSB MIA92LA014Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 47G-5 · La Belle, FLThe pilot in command's improper aft application of cyclic control during an autorotative landing to an open field, resulting in the main rotor blades colliding with the tail boom. Contributing to the accident was the in flight failure of the outer bearing of…Oct 13, 1991 · N1201W · Substantial damage NTSB LAX86FVA11Accident · Serious injuriesFinal reportBell 47G-5 · Porterville, CADuring an aerial application flight the plt lost control of the helicopter and collided with a building. Examination revealed that the inside diameter of the tail rotor driveshaft was not coated with aluminized lacquer as required by the Bell finish process…Jul 8, 1986 · N1316X · Substantial damage NTSB CHI86FER11Accident · Serious injuriesFinal reportBell 47G-5 · Brooten, MNAccording to the pilot, the helicopter collective control failed to respond to a climb input to level off after a descent for an agricultural swath run. Fire and impact damage to the helicopter was extensive, however one broken rod end in the collective…Jun 17, 1986 · N8122J · Destroyed