Bell 47G accident near Assumption, Minnesota, July 31, 2025
On July 31, 2025 at about 1:46 pm local time, a 1971 Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N102SH, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Assumption, Minnesota. 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from attitude-inducing unporting of the fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2025 · about 1:46 pm local time
- Place
- Assumption, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G 4A, built 1971 · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N102SH · registry record · serial 7762
- 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 aerial application helicopter had completed applying liquid chemical to a corn field and the hopper was empty. The pilot was flying the helicopter back to the loading truck at approximately 100 ft agl and 60 mph when a total loss of engine power occurred. The pilot performed an autorotation to a flat alfalfa field, the helicopter landed hard, the right side skid collapsed, and the helicopter came to rest upright. During the hard landing, the main rotor blades severed the tail boom. The pilot was able to egress from the helicopter without further incident. After the accident, about 5 total gallons of Jet A fuel were found in the two saddle-type fuel tanks, that are located above the turboshaft engine. There was no fuel leak due to the accident sequence. The pilot reported the helicopter was last fueled about 1 hour and 35 minutes before the accident occurred and about 30 gallons of fuel was added. For the most recent takeoff prior to the accident, the pilot reported that the cockpit fuel gauge was indicating between 8 to 18 gallons of fuel onboard. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system, the tail boom, and the tail rotor system. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The make and model of helicopter has a fuel capacity of 61.6 gallons of which 57.5 gallons of fuel is useable, and 4.1 gallons of fuel are unusable. The fuel delivery port or tube on both saddle-type fuel tanks is located at the aft, lower end of each fuel tank, and both fuel tanks deliver fuel to the engine simultaneously. There is no pilot-controlled fuel selector valve located in the cockpit. A pitch attitude change such as a banking turn or a nose-down attitude, would likely cause a disruption in fuel flow to the engine with the low fuel levels that were found in the fuel tanks, resulting in fuel starvation.
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
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Evacuation during post (impact)
- Fuel starvation during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Design
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,308.7 hours in all; 2,203.3 in this make and model; 147.9 in the last 90 days; 107 in the last 30 days; 3,268.3 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 24, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,284.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 2025; 146.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison T63-A-700 (turboshaft); 4,683 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: None Assumption MN at 12:11 pm
- Destination: None Assumption MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 am from KGYL, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGYL 311335Z AUTO 00000KT 7SM CLR 18/14 A3035 RMK AO2 T01750135
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN25LA298.