Bell 47G-B3 accident near Waseca, Minnesota, August 15, 1989
On August 15, 1989 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Bell 47G-B3 (helicopter), registered N8471E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waseca, Minnesota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE TAILWIND, HIGH OBSTRUCTION (POWER LINE), AND CROP (BEANS) WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1989 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Waseca, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-B3 · all 47G-B3s on the register
- Registration
- N8471E · no longer on the register · serial 2654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG A RETURN FLT TO THE NURSE TRUCK AFTER AERIAL APPLICATION, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE HELICOPTER WAS AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL WITH A TAILWIND WHEN THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED. HE HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO TURN INTO THE WIND, SO HE MADE AN AUTOROTATION WITH A TAILWIND IN A BEAN FIELD, MANEUVERING ONLY TO AVOID A POWER LINE. DRG THE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER ROCKED FORWARD & THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM AS THE PLT APPLIED AFT CYCLIC. A POST-ACDNT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 208 in the last 90 days; 95 in the last 30 days; 3,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,807 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 20, 1989; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Waseca MN at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from RST, 40 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 N8471E 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.