Bell 47G-2A accident near Wautoma, Wisconsin, October 17, 2007
On October 17, 2007 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2A (helicopter), registered N73223, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wautoma, Wisconsin (Waupaca Muni airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter resulting from a distraction in the cockpit. A contributing factor was the distraction due to the dog in the cockpit.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2007 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wautoma, Wisconsin · Waupaca Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2A · all 47G-2As on the register
- Registration
- N73223 · registry record · serial 2722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter impacted terrain during cruise flight. The pilot reported that the helicopter was established in cruise flight about 500 feet above ground level (agl). He was accompanied by a dog, which was restrained by a harness in the right seat. The pilot stated that a farmer waved as he flew by, and he banked the helicopter 30-degrees to the left and the right in response. He noted that this maneuver upset the dog. He subsequently transferred the cyclic from his right hand to his left hand, and restrained the collective by using the side of this leg, in order to free his right hand to reassure the dog. The pilot reported that during this time the helicopter entered a 135-degree right bank, and he seemed to become "weightless." He increased collective to load the main rotor and rolled left, recovering about 250 feet agl. He noted that the main rotor speed was "very low" and the helicopter was descending rapidly. About 50 feet agl he attempted to pitch up, but the aircraft did not respond. He "pulled all energy out of the rotor" and the helicopter impacted in a slight nose down attitude. The skids collapsed, the lower portion of the fuselage was damaged, and the main rotor blades struck the tail boom during the accident. The pilot stated that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the aircraft prior to the accident. He noted that the distraction of having a dog in the helicopter and his transferring cyclic control to his left hand were contributing factors to the accident.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,934 hours in all; 391 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 5,637 as pilot in command; 1,195 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,425 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2006; 330 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-AF (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8WI2 Plainfield WI at 3:00 pm
- Destination: PCZ Waupaca WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from PCZ, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.