Bell 47G accident near Dallas, Texas, February 28, 1982
On February 28, 1982 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N1773, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dallas, Texas (Redbird airport). It was a personal 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
- February 28, 1982 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · Redbird · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N1773 · registry record · serial SA51
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A NARROW FLATBED TRAILER. HE STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED SOME BUFFETING FROM THE WIND FUNNELING BETWEEN TWO HANGARS. ON HIS THIRD ATTEMPT TO POSITION THE HELICOPTER ON THE TRAILER, THE RIGHT SKID SLIPPED OFF. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HIT AS THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE SIDE. THE TRAILER'S WIDTH ALLOWED ONLY A 2 INCH CLEARANCE ON EACH SIDE OF THE SKIDS.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,215 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1,977 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,250 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6V-350 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Grand Prairie TX at 2:40 pm
- Destination: Dallas TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 129°F (54°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from RBD
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.