Bell 47 accident near Arlington Hts, Illinois, August 12, 1995
On August 12, 1995 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Bell 47 (helicopter), registered N4032G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arlington Hts, Illinois. It was a business 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
plot misjudged the flare. The factors included the pilot getting too close to the lead helicopter, allowing his airspeed to get too slow, and encountering settling with power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1995 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington Hts, Illinois
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47 · all 47s on the register
- Registration
- N4032G · no longer on the register · serial 7618
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS THE PILOT OF THE SECOND HELICOPTER IN A FLIGHT OF TWO HELICOPTERS LANDING AT THE ARLINGTON PARK RACE TRACK'S PARKING LOT. AS HE APPROACHED THE LANDING ZONE, HE GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE LEAD HELICOPTER. HE SLOWED THE HELICOPTER TO ALMOST A HOVER AND THEN TRIED TO MAKE A STEEP APPROACH TO THE ZONE. HE REPORTED THAT HIS AIRSPEED WAS TOO SLOW AND THE HELICOPTER WENT INTO SETTLING WITH POWER AND LANDED HARD.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,382 hours in all; 134 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,491 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 1995; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LL95 Clarke Heliport IL at 3:10 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from PWK, 30 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.