Bell 47G-5 accident near Valley Center, California, June 14, 1983
On June 14, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Bell 47G-5 (helicopter), registered N2252W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valley Center, California. 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
- June 14, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Valley Center, California · 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
- N2252W · no longer on the register · serial 7966
- 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 ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A POWER LOSS WHILE ENGAGED IN AERIAL APPLICATION. THE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH 25 GALLONS OF FUEL WHICH HE SAID WAS USUALLY ENOUGH FOR SPRAYING 40-50 ACRES. THIS JOB WAS 19 ACRES BUT IT WAS 10-12 MILES AWAY AT 1400 FT MSL. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT FUEL SYSTEM CONTAINED ONLY 1 PINT OFFUEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE POWER LOSS MAY HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF FUEL EXHAUSTION. NO OTHER REASON FOR POWER LOSS WAS DISCOVERED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,726 hours in all; 2,726 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1983; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Rancho CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N2252W 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.