Bell 47G-5A accident near Economy, Indiana, September 22, 2000
On September 22, 2000 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Bell 47G-5A (helicopter), registered N14841, was substantially damaged in an accident near Economy, Indiana. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain control of the helicopter while attempting a landing on unsuitable terrain. A factor associated with the accident was the grass covered, down slope in the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2000 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Economy, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-5A · all 47G-5As on the register
- Registration
- N14841 · no longer on the register · serial 25080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot lost control of the helicopter and it impacted the terrain on landing. The purpose of the flight was for aerial photography. The pilot reported the winds increased during the flight and he elected to make an off airport landing to take a break and see if the winds would subside. During touchdown, the helicopter tilted rearward. The pilot attempted to recover; however the tailrotor struck the ground and the helicopter became airborne, rotated to the right and reached an altitude of 10 feet to 15 feet. The pilot reduced the collective and closed the throttle at which time the helicopter landed hard. The pilot lost his hold on the collective and it rose from the impact. This caused the helicopter to begin rotating again, however it remained on the ground. The pilot pushed the collective back down and eventually got the engine shut down. The pilot reported that after the accident he checked the area and discovered that the ground had a downhill slope in the area where the rear portion of the skids would have been. He reported that the slope was obscured by grass.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,150 hours in all; 63 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 1,150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 18, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wayne County Sheriff'S Office
The flight
- Departed from: RID Richmond IN at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 169°F (76°C), dew point 131°F (55°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from MIE, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N14841 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.