Bell 47D-1 accident near Ridge Farm, Illinois, May 6, 1984
On May 6, 1984 at about 1:02 am local time, a Bell 47D-1 (helicopter), registered N13012, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ridge Farm, 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
- May 6, 1984 · about 1:02 am local time
- Place
- Ridge Farm, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47D-1 · all 47D-1s on the register
- Registration
- N13012 · no longer on the register · serial 648
- 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 HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER AFTER A HARD LANDING FOLLOWING LOSS OF ROTOR RPM. THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING INITIAL CLIMB AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL THE ROTOR DECREASED ABOUT 500 RPM. HE TRIED TO REGAIN ROTOR RPM UNTIL ABOUT 100 FT AGL AND THEN TRIED AN AUTOROTATION. UPON LANDING THE ACFT ROLLED OVER. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL DISCREPENCIES WITH THE ACFT.
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; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,751 hours in all; 313 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 1,511 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,264 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1985; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6 VS-335-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: AG Air, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; not recorded at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N13012 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.