Bell 47G-2 accident near Grandview, Washington, May 18, 1982
On May 18, 1982 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2 (helicopter), registered N11VH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grandview, Washington. 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
- May 18, 1982 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grandview, Washington · 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
- N11VH · registry record · serial 2027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE DISPENSING HERBICIDE (SYSTOX) OVER AN APPLE ORCHARD THE PILOT SENSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BINDING FOLLOWED BY A POWER LOSS. THE PILOT ELECTED TO DUMP THE HERBICIDE AND PERFORMED A POWER-OFF AUTOROTATION LANDING IN A GRAPE VINEYARD. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE #5 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD HAD OVER HEATED AT THE BEARING JOURNAL, THE BOLT BROKE AND THE CAP SEPARATED AT THE PARTING SURFACE.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,124 hours in all; 7,292 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 8,049 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,125 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Valicopters,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Grandview OR at 7:23 am
- Destination: Grandview OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 126°F (52°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 am from PSC, 33 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 N11VH 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.