Bell 47D1 accident near Alpena, Michigan, May 20, 1984
On May 20, 1984 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Bell 47D1 (helicopter), registered N9158R, was destroyed in an accident near Alpena, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 20, 1984 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Alpena, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47D1 · all 47D1s on the register
- Registration
- N9158R · registry record · serial 455
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE OWNER/PLT OF THE HELICOPTER REPORTEDLY 'BUZZED' A LOCAL BASEBALL GAME. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED TO MANEUVER OVER A WOODED AREA, ENTER A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, THEN ROLL OR BANK & ENTER A DESCENT INTO A WOODED AREA & CRASH. DURING AN INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER, NO PREIMPACT DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND, EXCEPT THAT THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS OVERDUE. A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.25%.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 854 hours in all; 227 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 759 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 17, 1979; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V4-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; not recorded at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from APN
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 N9158R 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.