Bell 47G-4A accident near Montgomery City, Missouri, June 18, 2011
On June 18, 2011 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Bell 47G-4A (helicopter), registered N24HM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Montgomery City, Missouri. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of control during the precautionary landing, which resulted in inadvertent contact between the main rotor and the tailboom. Contributing to the accident was the overloaded condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2011 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Montgomery City, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-4A · all 47G-4As on the register
- Registration
- N24HM · no longer on the register · serial 7688
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had returned from an agricultural application to reload the cleaning solution. Unbeknownst to the pilot, the helicopter was loaded with approximately 90 gallons of solution, instead of the expected 70 gallons for the flight. The pilot reported that he increased engine power and lifted off; however, immediately after lift off the engine and rotor speed began to decrease. He selected a suitable landing point and flared for touchdown about 10 feet above ground level to minimize the forward speed. The helicopter touched down on the rear portion of the landing skids and began to pitch forward. He applied aft cyclic control to prevent the helicopter from nosing over. He subsequently heard a bang and observed debris coming from the aircraft. He shut down the engine and secured the helicopter. A postaccident examination revealed that the main rotor had struck the tailboom resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot said the helicopter may have been on a slight incline when the solution was loaded, allowing the right side tank to fill more than the left side tank. He was unaware of the overload condition. The pilot added that closer monitoring of the helicopter and chemical truck incline, and the final amount of solution being loaded onto the helicopter, might have prevented the accident. The pilot did not report any failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Maximum weight › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 880 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,810 as pilot in command; 650 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,153 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rhineland Grain Inc
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Montgomery City MO at 11:45 am
- Destination: PVT Montgomery City MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:45 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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 N24HM 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.