Bell 47G-4A accident near Mayville, WI
On July 24, 2008, a Bell 47G-4A (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Mayville, WI. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: minor.
- Date
- July 24, 2008
- Place
- Mayville, WI
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-4A · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Minor
- Position
- 43.491°N, 88.541°W
- NTSB ID
- 20080808X01192
Official records · CHI08LA211
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On July 24, 2008, about 0652 central daylight time, the pilot of a Bell 47G-4A, N24HM, received fatal injuries when he was stuck by the main rotor blade while exiting the helicopter near Mayville, Wisconsin. The pilot had shut down the engine and exited to inspect the helicopter. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 137 agricultural application flight was not operating on a flight plan. The ground loader heard the engine running rough when the helicopter took off next to the field that was going to be sprayed. The helicopter flew in a southerly direction for about 200 yards before landing. During landing, the left skid became entangled in the surrounding vegetation and the helicopter turned towards the north breaking off the left skid. The helicopter landed in a field about 3/8 mile from the loading site and was resting left side low. The pilot exited and walked around the helicopter with the main rotor blades still rotating. The pilot was then fatally injured when he was struck by the rotating blades. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The helicopter was powered by a Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 engine, serial number L-2450-43, that had a total time in service of 3,378.6 hours and a total time since overhaul of 395 hours. There were no markings identifying all the cylinder heads and barrels as Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) parts. The return to service tags associated with the engine cylinder assemblies were not received by the National Transportation Safety Board or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Textron Lycoming Mandatory Service B
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the rotating rotor blades after he exited the helicopter after landing.
More accidents in WI
- Douglas DC-9-14, Sep 6, 1985
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Browse: Wisconsin · 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.
