NTSB MIA89LA229 — 1989-08-23 · PONCE, Puerto Rico

Current FAA registration · N955B

Make / Model: BELL 47G
Year of manufacture: 1954 · 35 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING VO-435-A1F (250 hp)
Seats / Engines: 3 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 20170112
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AD4753

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N955B Bell 47G None

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE OF THE AFT TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT.

Factual narrative

THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON AN APCH TO LAND ON A X-COUNTRY FLT, WHEN THE AFT TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT (PN: 47-644-187) FAILED AT ABOUT 40' AGL. HE RPRTD THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT, SO HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE & THE SPINNING STOPPED. HE PULLED UP ON THE COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION THE LANDING, BUT RAN OUT OF COLLECTIVE PITCH AT ABOUT 10' ABOVE THE GROUND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD, DAMAGING THE TAIL ROTOR & TAIL BOOM. THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT HAD FAILED JUST FORWARD OF THE 90 DEG GEAR BOX. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_MIA89LA229.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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