Bell 47D1 accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma, April 25, 1987
On April 25, 1987 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bell 47D1 (helicopter), registered N3575, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- April 25, 1987 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ardmore, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47D1 · all 47D1s on the register
- Registration
- N3575 · no longer on the register · serial K-7032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTEDLY HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE IN THE ENGINE AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY AUTOROTATION TO LANDING. TOUCHDOWN WAS ON UNEVEN TERRAIN AND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THIS RESULTED IN THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY BEING CHOPPED OFF THE TAIL BOOM BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. AFTER RECOVERY THE OWNER/OPERATOR STATED HE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN A HARD LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES MAKING CONTACT WITH THE TAIL BOOM AND CHOPPING IT IN TWO.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 520 hours in all; 394 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 417 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1987; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin O-335-5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1F0 Ardmore OK at 10:00 pm
- Destination: 1F0 Ardmore OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N3575 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.