Bell 47G accident near Gaston, Oregon, September 26, 2010
On September 26, 2010 at about 2:00 am local time, a Bell 47G (helicopter), registered N7860S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Gaston, Oregon. 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 pilot's failure to maintain tail rotor clearance while landing on a transport trailer positioned on an uneven surface.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2010 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Gaston, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G 3B1 · all 47Gs on the register
- Registration
- N7860S · registry record · serial 6627
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he completed his last forest spray application for the day and was landing on a trailer used for transporting the helicopter. As the skids touched down on the trailer, he lowered the collective to the full down position. The helicopter abruptly tilted aft on the skid heals, and he applied up collective. The helicopter started to rotate to the right and he was unable to counter the rotation with the left anti-torque pedal. The pilot closed the throttle as the helicopter rotated 180 degrees to the right. The helicopter then contacted the side of the trailer and came to a full stop. The pilot reported that the trailer was parked on an uneven surface and that the slope and his abrupt movement of the collective resulted in the tail rotor coming into contact with the trailer. The pilot also felt that the accident could have been avoided if the trailer were on level terrain and he had waited to lower the collective until after establishing positive and complete skid contact with the surface of the trailer. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter at the time of the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 239 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 29, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,871 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 7, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce Allison 250 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Farm And Forest Helicopter Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Gaston OR
- Destination: Gaston OR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from KHIO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.