19960111029949A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-5 · Pope Valley, CA · January 11, 1996

Date: January 11, 1996 · 16:00 local
Place: Pope Valley, CA
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N1309X
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX96LA093
Reported as: Bell 47G5
Reported engine: Lycoming VO435*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,000 total5,000 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N1309XRegistration cancelled Apr 19, 2000 · Bell 47G-5S/N 7818 Airframe modelBell 47G-5

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The pilot had hovered the helicopter over the loading platform and lowered the broadcaster (bucket) onto the platform for reloading. After the ground crew loaded the broadcaster, the pilot turned the helicopter and began to depart. The broadcaster cables became entangled with the truck and the helicopter descended, uncontrolled, and crashed.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE PILOT HAD HOVERED THE HELICOPTER OVER THE LOADING PLATFORM AND LOWERED THE BROADCASTER (BUCKET) ONTO THE PLATFORM FOR RELOADING. AFTER THE GROUND CREW LOADED THE BROADCASTER, THE PILOT TURNED THE HELICOPTER AND BEGAN TO DEPART. THE BROADCASTER CABLES BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE TRUCK AND THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED, UNCONTROLLED, AND CRASHED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX96LA093Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportPope Valley, CAthe pilot misjudged the clearance between the broadcaster and the truck resulting in the broadcaster's cables becoming entangled with the truck.Jan 12, 1996 · Destroyed

Other reports on N1309X · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19950220002109ATo Running(Helicopter/Vtol Ac) · Sonoma, CAMoisture on bubble and blinded by sun. Struck wires on takeoff.Feb 20, 1995 · Substantial damage