- Date
- June 17, 1983, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Litchfield, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8471EBell 47-G3B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830617025809A
- Case key
- 12217
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The helicopter rolled over while attempting a takeoff after servicing from a truck platform for a spraying operation. The hose used to put the chemical spray into the hopper was not removed. When takeoff was attempted the acft was tethered to the ground rig and continued application of collective rolled the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8471E
- Reported as
- Bell 47-G3B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2654
- Airframe hours
- 3,882
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Willmar Aerial Spraying
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 21, 1983
- Departed
- NONE · Litchfield, MN
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,715 total · 1,353 in this make and model · 1,616 as pilot in command · 102 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8471E · 5
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.