Bell 47G-5 accident near Crane, Texas, July 16, 1985
On July 16, 1985 at about 11:45 am local time, a Bell 47G-5 (helicopter), registered N8197J, was destroyed in an accident near Crane, Texas (Crane airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
- July 16, 1985 · about 11:45 am local time
- Place
- Crane, Texas · Crane · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-5 · all 47G-5s on the register
- Registration
- N8197J · no longer on the register · serial 25012
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED FROM A FLAT BED TRAILER. THE PLT STATED HE HAD LIFTED TO A 3 FOOT HOVER WHEN THE ENG STOPPED. THE HELICOPTER SUDDENLY ROTATED ABOUT 45 DEGS BEFORE HE COULD STOP IT. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN AUTOROTATION TOUCHDOWN BUT WAS STILL PARTIALLY OVER THE TRAILER. THE REAR PORTION OF THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE EDGE OF THE TRAILER, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE LEFT. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND WHICH RESULTED IN DESTRUCTION OF THE HELICOPTER AS THEY CONTINUED TO ROTATE. THE CAUSE OF THE ENG FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 21,534 hours in all; 560 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 21,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.