Plane Crash List

Bell 47G-5 N7925J

6 October 1996 · Nunda, South Dakota, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 6 October 1996 at about 13:00 local time, a Bell 47G-5 registered N7925J was involved in an accident near Nunda, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 13:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Nunda, South Dakota, United States
Coordinates
44.1593, -97.0104
Aircraft
Bell 47G-5
Registration
N7925J
Category
Helicopter
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 137: Agricultural
Purpose of flight
Aerial Application
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Flandreau → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
CHI97LA004

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

failure of maintenance personnel to properly torque the six accessory drive bolts, which resulted in fatigue failure of the undertorqued bolts.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the second agricultural load, a total loss of engine power occurred, and the pilot made an autorotative landing, but the helicopter was damaged during the occurrence. Examination of the engine revealed failure of six bolts that attached the accessory drive gear to the crankshaft. Further examination of the attachment bolts revealed that fatigue cracking had occurred. There was evidence that inadequate pre-load torque had been applied to the assembly. The engine had approximately 400 hours since its last overhaul.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Bell 47 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
29 Oct 1996 Bell 47G-3B-1
N3098G
Fillmore, Utah, United States Usfs Fatal 1
7 Oct 1996 Bell 47G-5A
N8135J
King City, California, United States - No injuries -
10 Sep 1996 Bell 47G-3B-1
N1335X
Rangely, Colorado, United States - No injuries -
11 Aug 1996 Bell 47G-4A
N9472G
Adel, Georgia, United States - Fatal 1
29 Sep 1996 Bell 47G-3B-1
N1397X
Borinquen
no coordinates
- No injuries -
10 Dec 1996 Bell 47G
N4758R
Pendleton, Oregon, United States Wildhorse Helicopters, Inc. Fatal 2

All 1,633 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
15 Aug 1996 Beechcraft V35
N2055V
Custer, South Dakota, United States - Minor injuries -
5 Nov 1996 Cessna 177B
N34994
Chancellor, South Dakota, United States - Fatal 1
20 May 1996 Air Tractor AT401
N1019X
Letcher, South Dakota, United States - No injuries -
8 Jun 1996 Grumman American AA-1C
N39048
Custer, South Dakota, United States - Minor injuries -
4 Jul 1996 Hewitt CASSUTT 3M
N290E
Vermillion, South Dakota, United States - Minor injuries -
13 Jul 1996 Sauder AVID FLYER HH
N399S
Stoneville, South Dakota, United States - Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States