- Date
- May 16, 1985, 13:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Burlington, MI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3755JBell 47G-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850516017909A
- Case key
- 12836
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 was departing from a trailer which was sloped 5 degs to the left. During takeoff, the left skid lifted off first and the helicopter drifted to the right. The right skid caught on the trailer guides and the helicopter rolled over to the right.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3755J
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1537
- Airframe hours
- 14,907
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Ronald L Nearpass
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 10, 1984 · 133 hours before
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
- 37
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,660 total · 406 in this make and model · 1,509 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BTL, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.