# Accident 19870908050469A: Bell 47G4A, Minot, ND, September 8, 1987

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 8, 1987, 15:30 local time
- Place: Minot, ND
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: WFBG
- Location: 47.2600° N, 101.7702° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.2600&lon=-101.7702&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2238W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2238W-2012-08-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-4A (registry code 1181031, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-4a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming VO-540 series (registry code 41534, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G4A
- Reported engine: LYC VO540B1B3
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 16,488 total, 1,850 in this make and model, 265 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN87DTG02](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN87DTG02) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870908050469A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE HELICOPTER LOST ROTOR SPEED AFTER ENCOUNTERING ITS OWN WAKE DURING SPRAYING. VALVE FAILURE PREVENTED LOAD DUMP.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN87DTG02](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN87DTG02), Sep 8, 1987: Bell 47G-4A (N2238W), Minot, ND, substantial damage

## Other reports on N2238W (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19900414009099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900414009099A), Apr 14, 1990: Bell 47G4A (N2238W), Bixby, OK, Destroyed. Loud bang during a final spray run. Spray boom hit the wheat and helicopter crashed ejecting pilot. Cause unknown.
- [Incident 19820514041879I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820514041879I), May 14, 1982: Bell 47G (N2238W), North Brunswick, NJ, Minor damage. Cylinder connecting rod bolt failed. Auto rotated into brush, damaging the tail rotor.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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