Bell 47G-4 accident near St Genevieve, Missouri, April 11, 1982
On April 11, 1982 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Bell 47G-4 (helicopter), registered N87623, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Genevieve, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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 11, 1982 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- St Genevieve, Missouri
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-4 · all 47G-4s on the register
- Registration
- N87623 · registry record · serial 3140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ABOUT 40 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THERE WAS A DROP IN OIL PRESSURE FOLLOWED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BY AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED OVER A WOODED AREA. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SMALL CLEARING, BUT THE HELICOPTER STRUCK TREES SHORT OF THE OPENING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NO. 5 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED AT THE CRANKSHAFT END. IT WAS NOTED THAT A ROD CAP BOLT HAD BROKEN, THE CAP HAD STRAIGHTENED OUT, AND THE ROD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT. A LARGE HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE CRANKCASE AND THE OIL TANK WAS EMPTY. HOWEVER, OIL WAS NOTED INSIDE THE ENGINE AND ON ALL BEARINGS AND JOURNALS EXCEPT THE NO. 5 CONNECTING ROD. ALSO, ALL MAIN BEARINGS AND ALL ROD BEARINGS AND JOURNALS, EXCEPT NO. 5, WERE NORMAL.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 540 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 6,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,140 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: North American CORP
The flight
- Departed from: Jackson MO at 2:30 pm
- Destination: St Claire MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 158°F (70°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.
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.