Bell 47G accident near Pendleton, OR
On December 10, 1996, a Bell 47G (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Pendleton, OR. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 10, 1996
- Place
- Pendleton, OR
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 45.731°N, 118.789°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X07244
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 10, 1996, about 0930 Pacific standard time, N4758R, a Bell 47G helicopter, operated by Wildhorse Helicopters, Inc. as a restricted category aircraft, impacted terrain and was destroyed while maneuvering north of Pendleton, Oregon. Both commercial pilots were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The positioning flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. According to the tower manager at the contract air traffic control tower at the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport, the accident pilot had radioed a request for a takeoff clearance from the airport about 7:30 a.m. on the morning of the accident. The tower manager provided the clearance. He remembered that the clearance was for a flight of two helicopters. He observed the two helicopters hover taxi to the south end of the taxiway, then take off in formation to the north. He stated that the weather conditions were "beautiful" at the time of the takeoff. According to local law enforcement personnel reports and their interview of an operator employee (attached), both helicopters flew to a ranch located north of Pendleton to conduct agricultural spraying operations on the morning of the accident. The weather conditions gradually worsened during the morning as fog began to roll in. Both pilots ceased their spraying and landed their helicopters at the ranch. An employee downloaded the spray chemicals out of the accident helicopter, and the pilot of the other helicopter and a dog boarded the accident helicopter with the intention of flying back to the
Probable cause
The pilot-in-command's attempt to conduct visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain altitude/clearance with hilly terrain. A contributing factor in the accident was the presence of fog.
More accidents in OR
- Cessna T207A, Aug 21, 1986
- Piper PA-28-180, Sep 1, 1984
- Piper PA-28RT-201, Mar 12, 1984
- Piper PA 46-310P, Apr 7, 2017
- Cessna 172, Jun 23, 2012
Browse: Oregon · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
