Bell 47G-5 accident near Plainfield, Wisconsin, October 27, 1985
On October 27, 1985 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Bell 47G-5 (helicopter), registered N7840S, was destroyed in an accident near Plainfield, Wisconsin. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- October 27, 1985 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Plainfield, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-5 · all 47G-5s on the register
- Registration
- N7840S · no longer on the register · serial 7861
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES AND NOSED INTO THE WOODED TERRAIN AFTER A LOSS OF POWR. THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN REFUELED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACC. NORMAL FUEL LOAD WAS 20 GALS. THE PLT HAD SPRAYED 20 ACRES & FLOWN 9 MILES TO ANOTHER FIELD TO SPRAY BUT ABORTED DUE TO WIND BEFORE A RETURN TO ARPT. THE DAY OF THE ACC THERE IS NO RECORD OF FUELING. THE PLT TOOK UP THE OPERATION WHERE HE HAD STOPPED BUT AFTER SPRAYING 10 ACRES HE STARTED BACK TO BASE. HE HAD FLOWN APRX 1/2 WAY BACK WHEN THE ENG QUIT. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND HEARD THE ENG POP & QUIT & SAW THE ACFT DESCENDING BUT COULD NOT SEE THE ACTUAL IMPACT DUE TO OBSTRUCTING TREES. THE FUEL TANKS OVER THE ENG HAD BUST DURING THE CRASH AND THERE WAS NO FIRE OR EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE AT THE SCENE. NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES OR HUMAN INPAIRMENT WAS REVEALED DURING THE INVESTIGATION EXCEPT EVIDENCE OF LACK OF FUEL.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,930 hours in all; 5,030 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 6,810 as pilot in command; 420 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,325 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1985; 400 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8WI2 Plainfield WI at 12:27 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 am from AUW, 30 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.