Bell 47G2 accident near Decatur, Illinois, October 3, 1994
On October 3, 1994 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Bell 47G2 (helicopter), registered N5193B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Decatur, Illinois. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the roller springs in the freewheeling unit of the transmission which caused the unit to disengage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1994 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Illinois
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G2 · all 47G2s on the register
- Registration
- N5193B · no longer on the register · serial 2174
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER COMPLETING A LINE PATROL, HE MADE A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. AT APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 75 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE PILOT HEARD A STRANGE SOUND, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERSPEED, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO DESCEND. HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND PLACED THE HELICOPTER INTO AN AUTOROTATION TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND WAS DAMAGED. A POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED 13 OF 32 ROLLER SPRINGS INSIDE THE FREEWHEELING UNIT OF THE TRANSMISSION WERE BROKEN CAUSING THE UNIT TO BECOME DISENGAGED.
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: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 3,450 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,413 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 23, 1994; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DEC IL at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N5193B 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.