Bell 47G-2 accident near Harrah, Washington, July 15, 1982
On July 15, 1982 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2 (helicopter), registered N6145C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harrah, Washington. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was 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
- July 15, 1982 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Harrah, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2 · all 47G-2s on the register
- Registration
- N6145C · no longer on the register · serial 2182
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT BEFORE TAKING OFF, THE FUEL QUANTITY GUAGES INDICATED THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLETE ONE MORE LOAD AND STILL HAVE AN ADEQUATE RESERVE. AFTER DISPENSING THE LOAD, THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE HE WAS RETURNING TO THE NURSE TRUCK. AT THAT TIME, THE HELICOPTER WAS AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL AND WAS ABOUT TO CROSS A POWER LINE. THE PILOT TURNED TO AVOID THE POWER LINE AND LEVELED THE HELICOPTER, BUT IT LANDED HARD. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT RECEIVED A COMPRESSION FRACTURE OF A VERTEBRA. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY AND NO SIGN OF A FUEL LEAK WAS FOUND.
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: 1,728 hours in all; 673 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 1,365 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,993 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-25A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Harrah WA at 5:10 pm
- Destination: Harrah WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from YKM, 10 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 N6145C 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.