Bell 47J2A accident near Elkhorn, Wisconsin, June 19, 1995
On June 19, 1995 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Bell 47J2A (helicopter), registered N470RA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elkhorn, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of power as a result of an intake valve failure due to improper maintenance performed during the major engine overhaul, and pilot misjudgment of the flare during autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1995 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Elkhorn, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47J2A · all 47J2As on the register
- Registration
- N470RA · registry record · serial 3719
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS CRUISING AT ABOUT 1,000 FEET WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AN AUTOROTATION WAS INITIATED. DURING THE LANDING PHASE (CYCLIC FLARE), THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAILROTOR DRIVE SHAFT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER INTAKE VALVE HAD FAILED IN THE TOP RADIUS (NECK AREA) OF THE VALVE KEEPER RECESS, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDER COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND PISTON. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE LOGBOOKS INDICATED THAT AN IDENTICAL FAILURE HAD OCCURRED EIGHT HOURS PREVIOUSLY. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE MAJOR ENGINE OVERHAUL, WHICH HAD BEEN CONDUCTED 27 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S PROCEDURES AND SPECIFICATIONS.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,600 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 7,200 as pilot in command; 1,700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 1995; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 57C East Troy WI at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from UES, 28 miles away
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.
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.