Bell 47G 2 accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 30, 2016
On July 30, 2016 at about 8:05 pm local time, a 1959 Bell 47G 2 (helicopter), registered N975BH, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Wittman Rgnl airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loosening and separation of the throttle linkage nut, which resulted in a loss of throttle control and subsequent hard landing after autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2016 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G 2, built 1959 · all 47G 2s on the register
- Registration
- N975BH · registry record · serial 2242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot maneuvered the helicopter on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern and attempted to reduce power for landing; however, the engine power remained excessively high. The pilot attempted to further reduce the engine power by turning off one magneto and applying carburetor heat, but the power remained too high to safely descend. The pilot then entered a sideslip, which allowed the helicopter to descend to about 100 ft above the runway. He turned the engine power off and autorotated to the ground. The helicopter landed hard in a tail-low attitude. The main rotor struck the tail and the tail rotor assembly separated from the helicopter. A postaccident examination found that the throttle linkage nut had loosened and separated from its fitting, causing the throttle to remain open. The helicopter's maintenance manual did not specify a torque value for the throttle linkage nut, and there were no maintenance procedures requiring the nut to be loosened or removed during overhaul. The pilot indicated that a complete overhaul of the helicopter was completed about 37 hours before the accident flight.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
- Autorotation Engine shutdown
- Autorotation Hard landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Power lever › Inoperative
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 970 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 18, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,866.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 23, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Experimental Aircraft Association
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 6,179 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.