NTSB CAROL · Event
Event MIA89LA229
Registry · N955B
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
BELL 47G
Year of manufacture
1954 · 35 years old at event
TCDS
H-1 · SCOTT'S-BELL 47 INC
Engine
LYCOMING VO-435-A1F (250 hp)
Seats / Engines
3 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20170112
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AD4753
Registrant of record
LAMBERT BRIAN J
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
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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