- Date
- July 7, 1986, 08:12 local (13:12 UTC)
- Place
- Elrosa, MN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N94458Bell 47G-5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860707031459A
- Case key
- 13329
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 seen flying at a low altitude by witnesses and appeared to be flying straight and level and sounded normal. The helicopter impacted the ground in a northeasterly direction, 180 degrees from it's observed flight path. There were no witnesses to the actual crash and the helicopter, due to the terrain and severity of the damage, was not located until the following day.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94458
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-5
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7861RA
- Airframe hours
- 2,141
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-25A, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 137
- Operator
- Dennis Claire, doing business as Claire'S Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Willmar Aerial Spraying Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 28, 1986 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- El Rosa, MN
- Destination
- Paynesville, 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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,148 total · 45 in this make and model · 6,886 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AXN, 27 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.