How many accidents has the Bell 47 had?

The NTSB has recorded 744 events involving the Bell 47: 84 fatal, 96 serious, 169 minor injuries, and 391 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Bell 47 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Bell 47 has 744 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Bell 47 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 744 events recorded from 1982 to 2026.

744

All Events

391

Incidents

169

Minor

Serious

Fatal (106 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Jan 29, 2026	Floral City, FL	N347BH	Incident	destroyed	Investigation pending
Jul 31, 2025	Assumption, MN	N102SH	Incident	substantial	A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from attitude-inducing unporting of the fuel.
Mar 21, 2023	Livonia, NY	N73905	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s delayed action to arrest the high descent rate during a practice autorotation in tailwind conditions which ultimately resulted in loss of … The pilot’s delayed action to arrest the high descent rate during a practice autorotation in tailwind conditions which ultimately resulted in loss of control.
Oct 01, 2022	Mesa, AZ	N24067	Incident	substantial	A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Feb 11, 2022	Fallon, NV	N1023V	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a hover which, resulted in a collision with a hangar.
Oct 31, 2021	Zelienople, PA	N132BR	Incident	substantial	A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.
Jun 15, 2020	Atoka, TN	N473TT	Incident	substantial	A total loss of engine power due to a blocked fuel line; the reason for the blockage could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Nov 07, 2019	Groveland, FL	N6746D	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's improper cyclic input after a reported hydraulic failure, the reason for which could not be determined, and his failure to follow … The student pilot's improper cyclic input after a reported hydraulic failure, the reason for which could not be determined, and his failure to follow the emergency procedures, which resulted in a hard landing.
Aug 28, 2019	North Las Vegas, NV	N6064H	Incident	substantial	The noncertificated passenger’s loss of control during attempted hover operations.
May 06, 2019	Denton, TX	N5990	Incident	substantial	The flight instructor's improper decision to instruct the student pilot to establish a hover and reposition the helicopter with a tailwind, which resu… The flight instructor's improper decision to instruct the student pilot to establish a hover and reposition the helicopter with a tailwind, which resulted in the student pilot's loss of pitch control.
Apr 17, 2019	Donna, TX	N96671	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain altitude during an agricultural application flight.
Jan 11, 2019	Belen, NM	N3755Z	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain adequate main rotor speed while the helicopter was in an out-of-ground effect hover.
Aug 20, 2017	St Marys, PA	N9526	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's inadequate prefight planning and en route fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.
Jul 24, 2017	Toterville, IA	N47AH	Incident	substantial	The pilot’s failure to maintain rotor rpm while maneuvering at low altitude with low airspeed and a tailwind.
Jul 06, 2017	Big Lake, MN	N153B	Incident	substantial	The failure of the metal core assembly within a wooden main rotor blade due to undetected corrosion and fatigue, which caused the wooden blade to sepa… The failure of the metal core assembly within a wooden main rotor blade due to undetected corrosion and fatigue, which caused the wooden blade to separate from the rotor mast.
Jul 30, 2016	Oshkosh, WI	N975BH	Incident	substantial	The loosening and separation of the throttle linkage nut, which resulted in a loss of throttle control and subsequent hard landing after autorotation.
Jun 08, 2016	Hastings, MN	N25LB	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to attain a positive rate of climb during takeoff from a service truck, which resulted in an impact with terrain and substantial d… The pilot's failure to attain a positive rate of climb during takeoff from a service truck, which resulted in an impact with terrain and substantial damage to the tail boom and fuselage.
Apr 20, 2016	Myerstown, PA	N202CH	Incident	substantial	A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would ha… A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Oct 18, 2015	Searchlight, NV	N73224	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a tree during hover flight.
Aug 11, 2015	Clanton, AL	N74823	Incident	substantial	The student pilot's abrupt cyclic and collective inputs during the approach to land which resulted in abnormal runway contact and a subsequent tail bo… The student pilot's abrupt cyclic and collective inputs during the approach to land which resulted in abnormal runway contact and a subsequent tail boom strike by the main rotor blades.
Aug 03, 2015	Camden, AL	N4002G	Incident	substantial	A failure of the helicopter's hydraulic flight control systems for reasons that could not be determined due to the fire damage, and the pilot's inabil… A failure of the helicopter's hydraulic flight control systems for reasons that could not be determined due to the fire damage, and the pilot's inability to turn off the hydraulic system to relieve control pressure.
Jul 24, 2015	Gilbert, IA	N1396X	Incident	substantial	The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation because the available fuel shifted within the tanks due to an abrupt nose-low maneuver to avoid … The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation because the available fuel shifted within the tanks due to an abrupt nose-low maneuver to avoid an obstacle, which resulted in a hard forced landing.
May 28, 2015	Fort Pierre, SD	N112SH	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning that resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and the pilot's failure to mainta… The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning that resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and the pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during the subsequent autorotation landing.
Jul 03, 2014	Gaston, OR	N684PC	Incident	substantial	The pilot's inability to maintain control of the helicopter as a result of a hydraulic hose becoming entangled around the right skid.
May 18, 2014	Bakersfield, CA	N16414	Incident	substantial	The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control after the helicopter's skid catching on the side of a trailer during takeoff, which resulted in a dyn… The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control after the helicopter's skid catching on the side of a trailer during takeoff, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.

Disclaimer: This data is sourced from the NTSB Aviation Accident Database. NTSB events reflect reported accidents and incidents and do not necessarily indicate a defect in the aircraft type. Many events involve pilot error, weather conditions, maintenance issues, or other factors unrelated to the aircraft design. This information is provided for research purposes only — consult official NTSB reports for complete details.

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Bell 47 Safety Record

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