Bell 47J accident near Dowagiac, Michigan, August 5, 1988
On August 5, 1988 at about 11:14 pm local time, a Bell 47J (helicopter), registered N2838B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dowagiac, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
FAILURE TO MAINTIAN ADEQUATE ROTOR RPM BY THE UNQUALIFIED PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1988 · about 11:14 pm local time
- Place
- Dowagiac, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47J · all 47Js on the register
- Registration
- N2838B · registry record · serial 1434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WITH AN AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND RATING WAS REPORTED TO BE ON HIS FIRST SELF-FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF HELICOPTER. HE REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKING OFF, HE FLEW ABOUT 1/2 MILE & STARTED A TURN, THEN THE ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO TREES AND WAS DAMAGED. THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL PROVIDING POWER AS THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED SMALL TREES DURING THE LANDING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS DATED 8/22/85. RAT NEST MATERIAL WAS FOUND IN THE AIR FILTER IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITY TO ALMOST COMPLETELY BLOCK THE FLOW OF AIR. ALSO, THE PILOT'S LAST MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS DATED 1/2/86. AUTO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS & CARBURETOR.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 740 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,760 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 22, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from SBN, 18 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.