Bell 47G3B2A accident near Brigham City, Utah, May 8, 1987
On May 8, 1987 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Bell 47G3B2A (helicopter), registered N58131, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brigham City, Utah. It was a ferry 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
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
- May 8, 1987 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brigham City, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G3B2A · all 47G3B2As on the register
- Registration
- N58131 · no longer on the register · serial 6865
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN AG PLT WAS FERRYING A HELICOPTER TO ANOTHER JOB IN HIS LOCAL AREA. THE PLT, AN ATP, HAD ESTIMATED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE FLT. THE HELICOPTER'S ENGINE QUIT AND AN AUTOROTATION WAS PERFORMED, RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. LESS THAN ONE GALLON OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, AND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FUEL SPILL WAS FOUND. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND FOREIGN OBJECTS IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE OBJECTS KEPT THE FUEL DRAIN PETCOCK OPEN DURING FLT, RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD USED THE FUEL DRAIN PETCOCK TO RINSE CHEMICALS OFF HIS HANDS JUST PRIOR TO THE FLT.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,400 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,122 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1986; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-FIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Paradise UT at 4:25 pm
- Destination: U27 Tremonton UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N58131 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.