Bell 47G-4A accident near Wheeler, Illinois, July 5, 1983
On July 5, 1983 at about 1:45 am local time, a Bell 47G-4A (helicopter), registered N7069J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeler, Illinois. 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1983 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Wheeler, Illinois · 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
- N7069J · no longer on the register · serial 7737
- 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 PLT REPORTED THAT WHILE HE WAS RETURNING FOR ANOTHER LOAD OF CHEMICALS, THE ENG MISSED A COUPLE OF TIMES, THEN SMOOTHED OUT FOR ABOUT 1 MIN. AFTER THAT, THE ENG MISSED AGAIN, THEN QUIT WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS AT APRX 150 FT AGL. THE PLT CHOSE TO CLEAR OVER CORN & LAND IN A BEAN FIELD. WHILE CLEARING THE CORN, HIS ROTOR RPM DECAYED, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD & THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HIT THE TAIL BOOM. ABOUT 1 PINT OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANK SUMPS & RUST WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL VALVE.
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: 5,175 hours in all; 103 in the last 90 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 1983; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N7069J 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.