20250731018149A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-4A · Belle Plaine, MN · July 31, 2025

Date: July 31, 2025 · 08:35 local
Place: Belle Plaine, MN
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: CUHG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N102SH
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN25LA298
Reported as: Bell 47G-4A
Reported engine: Allison 250 SER 250HP
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,308 total2,203 in this make and model147 in the last 90 days

N102SHRegistered now · Bell 47G-4AS/N 7762 · Built 1971 Airframe modelBell 47G-4A Engine modelAllison 250 SER 250HPTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The aircraft was returning to base after conducting aerial application operations. Before reaching base, the aircraft experienced engine issues and crashed into a hay field. The tail boom separated from the fuselage. The PIC stated an inspection of the fuel tank revealed very little to no fuel left.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING TO BASE AFTER CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS. BEFORE REACHING BASE, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED ENGINE ISSUES AND CRASHED INTO A HAY FIELD. THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE PIC STATED AN INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANK REVEALED VERY LITTLE TO NO FUEL LEFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN25LA298Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAssumption, MNA total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from attitude-inducing unporting of the fuel.Jul 31, 2025 · Substantial damage