Bell 47G3B1 accident near Malta, Montana, October 2, 1982
On October 2, 1982 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Bell 47G3B1 (helicopter), registered N7928S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Malta, Montana (Malta Municipal airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- October 2, 1982 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Malta, Montana · Malta Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G3B1 · all 47G3B1s on the register
- Registration
- N7928S · registry record · serial 6598
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE "WAS SPRAYING THE ALFALFA FIELD WEST TO EAST" AND THAT "THERE WERE TALL COTTONWOOD TREES ON THREE SIDES. A VERY SUDDEN WIND "CAME UP" AND "PUSHED" HIM INTO A TREE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,791 hours in all; 290 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 12,726 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 326 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mendel Flying Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: C Field MT at 2:15 pm
- Destination: C Field MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 145°F (63°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.