Bell 47G2 accident near Lebanon, Oregon, October 26, 1987
On October 26, 1987 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Bell 47G2 (helicopter), registered N6141, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lebanon, Oregon. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- October 26, 1987 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G2 · all 47G2s on the register
- Registration
- N6141 · registry record · serial 1506
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT WAS PERFORMING AN AUTOROTATION AT ABOUT 50' AGL AND THE FLARE WAS BEGUN. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT NOTICED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT LEVELING AND TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE HELICOPTER SETTLED TAIL LOW ONTO THE SOFT GROUND STRIKING THE TAIL ROTOR, SEPARATING IT FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER MADE A TURN AND THEN SETTLED TO THE GROUND WHERE IT ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,487 hours in all; 665 in this make and model; 176 in the last 90 days; 2,337 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,249 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 6, 1987; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.