Bell 47G2 accident near 5Nm East Of Sal, California, October 10, 1982
On October 10, 1982 at about 1:55 pm local time, a Bell 47G2 (helicopter), registered N5159B, was substantially damaged in an accident near 5Nm East Of Sal, 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
- October 10, 1982 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- 5Nm East Of Sal, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G2 · all 47G2s on the register
- Registration
- N5159B · no longer on the register · serial 1995
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF, DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE PILOT FELT A SUDDEN JOLT AND THE ENGINE RPM REVVED THEN DECAYED VERY RAPIDLY. THE PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING AND THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAIL ROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITATIONS.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,644 hours in all; 1,356 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 3,431 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,668 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,859 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-435-23C-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5Nm East Of Sal CA at 6:54 am
- Destination: 5Nm East Of Sal CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 122°F (50°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.