- Date
- September 8, 1987, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Minot, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2238WBell 47G-4A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 2, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870908050469A
- Case key
- 17069
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 plt rprtd that when he took off fm a nrby nurse truck, the wind was fm the NE at 5 to 7 mph. He made an observation pass across the area to be treated, then bgn a dscndg rgt turn to make a swath run in the opposite drctn. He stated he was unaware of a wind-shift to the nw. Subsequently, the helicopter encountered what the plt thought was wake turbc fm the observation pass. The acft bgn to settle & the plt increased the collective in an effort to stop the dscnt. The plt said the 'recovery ended in a deep canyon approx 150 to 200 ft deep. Emergency trip door solenoid to release load failedto work. Was only able to sustain hover for approx 2 min before a/c settled on a 30 to 40 (degree) embankment & slid down 40 ft to trees, tail first.' Rprtdly the dump vlv failed to operate due to corrosion fm chemicals carried on the previous flt.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2238W
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-4A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7704
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-B1B3, 280 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- James H Morten
- Registered owner
- Larimore Air Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 25, 1987 · 60 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
- 54
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 16,488 total · 1,850 in this make and model · 16,400 as pilot in command · 265 in the last 90 days · 87 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MOT, 12 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.
Other investigations on N2238W · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.