Bell 47G-2A accident near New Prague, Minnesota, May 14, 1987
On May 14, 1987 at about 1:35 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2A (helicopter), registered N6786D, was destroyed in an accident near New Prague, Minnesota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
- May 14, 1987 · about 1:35 pm local time
- Place
- New Prague, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2A · all 47G-2As on the register
- Registration
- N6786D · no longer on the register · serial 2592
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ABOUT A 5 MIN FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING A DOWNWIND TURN ON AN AGRICULTURAL TURNAROUND. IMPACT WAS ON A HEADING OF 210 DEGREES. WIND WAS FROM 326 DEGREES AT 14 KTS, GUSTS TO 22 KTS. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF POWERPLANT, FLIGHT CONTROL, STRUCTURAL, OR SYSTEM MALFUNCTION DURING THE ON-SITE OR SUBSEQUENT AIRFRAME AND ENGINE EXAMINATION.
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: 1,505 hours in all; 70 in the last 90 days; 1,465 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: New Prague MN at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 326° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 28,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from MSP, 26 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.