Bell 47G-2 accident near Rolling Fork, Mississippi, April 25, 1987
On April 25, 1987 at about 3:13 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2 (helicopter), registered N202CH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rolling Fork, Mississippi (Rollang 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
- April 25, 1987 · about 3:13 pm local time
- Place
- Rolling Fork, Mississippi · Rollang · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2 · all 47G-2s on the register
- Registration
- N202CH · registry record · serial 301
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING DOWNWIND, AT AN ALT OF APRX 20 FEET, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SETTLE WITH POWER. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE DESCENT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT ALT & AIRSPEED, WAS UNABLE. THE HELICOPTER THEN LANDED HARD, ROLLED OVER, AFTER WHICH, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STOPPED ROTATING AFTER CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,850 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 8,665 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,822 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 1986; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming V0-435-A1E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bills Air Service
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:57 pm from MLU, 67 miles away
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 N202CH 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.