Bell 47 accidents

The NTSB database holds 1,633 accidents and incidents involving the Bell 47, recorded between 1964 to 2026. 158 of them were fatal (10%), and 222 people died.

The deadliest year was 1966, with 22 deaths.

The phase of flight recorded most often is in flight (603 records).

Most of these records are from United States, Canada and Other-International Waters.

1,133 of these records have no coordinates in the source data, so they appear in the list below but not on the map.

1,633

Records

158

Fatal

222

Deaths

10%

Share fatal

1964 to 2026

Period

Show these on the map 500 of 1,633 have coordinates

By decade

1960s 374

1970s 593

1980s 298

1990s 182

2000s 105

2010s 68

2020s 13

Where these happened

United States 1,589 Canada 6 Other-International Waters 4 Other-Foreign Countries 4 Mexico 2 Europe 2

Operators involved

Petroleum Heli 37 Campbell Air S 14 Helicopter SER 14 Island Helicop 14 Anchorage Heli 12 Cascade, Helico 10

All 1,633 records by number of deaths, then by date

Date	Aircraft	Location	Operator	Outcome	Died
14 Sep 1979	Bell 47J-2 N930NR	Long Beach, California, United States no coordinates	Pacific Offsho	Fatal	5
30 Aug 1966	Bell 47G-4 N1157W	Los Angeles Calif, California, United States no coordinates	Sigalert Airwa	Fatal	5
30 Aug 1966	Bell 47G-4 N1162W	Los Angeles Calif, California, United States no coordinates	City of Los AN	Fatal	5
7 Nov 1966	Bell 47J-2 N73924	Carpenter, California, United States no coordinates	Rotor Aids OFF	Fatal	4
14 Dec 2000	Bell 47(SOLOY) HK269	Buga, Colombia no coordinates	Compania de Fumigacion Aerea	Fatal	3
16 Jun 1992	Bell 47-G4A N1041B	Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, United States no coordinates	Yves Gosselin	Fatal	3
16 Jun 1990	Bell 47G-3B1 N67223	Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States no coordinates	Badger Helicopters, Inc.	Fatal	3
18 Aug 1978	Bell 47-G2 N939B	Branson, Missouri, United States no coordinates	Tablerock Helo	Fatal	3
5 Aug 1975	Bell 47G-5 N4753R	Keystone, South Dakota, United States no coordinates	Rushmore Helic	Fatal	3
15 Oct 1974	Bell 47G-5 N4064G	Moorhead, Minnesota, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	3
17 Apr 1972	Bell 47J-2 N8467E	New York, New York, United States no coordinates	Helaire Copter	Fatal	3
4 Sep 1969	Bell 47G 2 N28208	Keystone, South Dakota, United States no coordinates	Rushmore Helic	Fatal	3
5 Aug 1969	Bell 47G-2 N8403E	Ngara Fall, Canada no coordinates	Prior Aviation	Fatal	3
8 Jun 1967	Bell 47J N2833B	Ontario, Canada no coordinates	Dominion Helic	Fatal	3
5 Apr 2018	Bell 47G FGGLB	Libourne, France	-	Fatal	2
20 Apr 2006	Bell 47G-3B-1 N22MP	East Hanover Tw, Pennsylvania, United States	Dennis G. Madonna	Fatal	2
10 Jul 1998	Bell 47G N12085	Jones, Oklahoma, United States	-	Fatal	2
19 Sep 1997	Bell 47G N70747	Saluda, South Carolina, United States	-	Fatal	2
10 Dec 1996	Bell 47G N4758R	Pendleton, Oregon, United States	Wildhorse Helicopters, Inc.	Fatal	2
17 Sep 1994	Bell 47G-5 N2280W	Pacific Ocean no coordinates	Victor M. Reyes	Fatal	2
16 May 1993	Bell 47-G N970B	Parker, Florida, United States	Rogers Intl. Corp.	Fatal	2
3 Jun 1987	Bell 47G N128B	Dayton, Minnesota, United States	Rand Auto Body	Fatal	2
19 Mar 1987	Bell 47G N13766	Wassaic, New York, United States	-	Fatal	2
9 May 1985	Bell 47G N951B	Calwood, Missouri, United States	-	Fatal	2
30 Apr 1983	Bell 47G-2 N2829B	Waymart, Pennsylvania, United States	-	Fatal	2
19 May 1981	Bell 47G-4A N9457	Aberdeen, Washington, United States no coordinates	Northwest Heli	Fatal	2
3 Sep 1980	Bell 47G-2A N73988	Cottonport, Louisiana, United States no coordinates	Norris Tell-Ag	Fatal	2
23 Mar 1978	Bell 47G-4A N8182J	Morgan City, Louisiana, United States no coordinates	Petroleum Heli	Fatal	2
10 Jan 1978	Bell 47J N6771D	Chesapeake, Virginia, United States no coordinates	Colonial Helic	Fatal	2
22 Nov 1977	Bell 47J-2 N8442E	Burbank, California, United States no coordinates	L.a.helicopter	Fatal	2
13 Aug 1976	Bell 47J-2A N1192W	Branson, Missouri, United States no coordinates	Ozark Helicopt	Fatal	2
9 Sep 1974	Bell 47J-2A N3072G	Ripon, California, United States no coordinates	Golden Gate HE	Fatal	2
27 Jun 1974	Bell 47G-5A N59399	Detroit, Michigan, United States no coordinates	Detroit Police	Fatal	2
23 Jun 1974	Bell 47G-3B N8496E	La Crescnta, California, United States no coordinates	L.a.fire Dept.	Fatal	2
24 May 1974	Bell 47J N5199B	Richmond, Virginia, United States no coordinates	Hawthorne Avia	Fatal	2
17 Jan 1974	Bell 47G-4A N1412W	Reading, Pennsylvania, United States no coordinates	Pennsylvania S	Fatal	2
25 Oct 1973	Bell 47G-5 N8556F	Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, United States no coordinates	Penn Line Serv	Fatal	2
18 Sep 1973	Bell 47G-4A N4800R	Leeville, Louisiana, United States no coordinates	Petrolum Heli	Fatal	2
5 Aug 1972	Bell 47G-2A N73219	Floyd, Virginia, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	2
10 Jan 1970	Bell 47J-2 N944NA	Healy, Alaska, United States no coordinates	Anchorage Heli	Fatal	2
31 Oct 1969	Bell 47G-2 N2803B	Loomis, Washington, United States no coordinates	Helicopter SER	Fatal	2
4 Sep 1968	Bell 47G-2 N5193B	Hollywood, California, United States no coordinates	Van Nuys Helic	Fatal	2
21 Dec 1967	Bell 47J-2 N73251	New York City, New York, United States no coordinates	City of New YO	Fatal	2
13 Dec 1967	Bell 47J-2A N8501F	Hanalei, Hawaii, United States no coordinates	Kauai Helicopt	Fatal	2
13 Sep 1967	Bell 47G-4 N1350X	La Place, Louisiana, United States no coordinates	Petroleum Heli	Fatal	2
20 Oct 1966	Bell 47J-2A N8582F	Leland Miss, Mississippi, United States no coordinates	Petroleum Heli	Fatal	2
10 Mar 1964	Bell 47G N994B	Grand Isle la, Louisiana, United States no coordinates	-	Fatal	2
12 Aug 2023	Bell 47G-5 N1503L	Mifflinville, Pennsylvania, United States	Triple F Flying Inc	Fatal	1
4 Jul 2023	Bell 47 F-GKTR	Sainte-Marthe, France no coordinates	-	Fatal	1
30 Jul 2019	Bell 47G ZS-HGY	Limpopo Province, South Africa	-	Fatal	1