Bell 47G-2 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, March 7, 1987
On March 7, 1987 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2 (helicopter), registered N6140C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Campbell Airstrip airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1987 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Campbell Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2 · all 47G-2s on the register
- Registration
- N6140C · registry record · serial 47
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND HIS COMMERCIAL ROTORCRAFT STUDENT WERE PRACTICING QUICK STOPS TO A HOVER AT LOW ALTITUDE OVER A SNOW COVERED NON-MAINTAINED AIRSTRIP. THE STUDENT, A COMMERCIALLY RATED FIXED WING PILOT, HAD SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THREE QUICK STOPS, BUT STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE ON HIS FOURTH ATTEMPT CAUSING THE TAIL ROTOR TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE CONTROLS AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, BUT NEITHER PILOT WAS INJURED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 31,000 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 29,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,399 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 15, 1986; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N6140C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.