19960708016149A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-5 · Wareham, MA · July 8, 1996

Date: July 8, 1996 · 12:30 local
Place: Wareham, MA
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: AXSG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8591F
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC96LA145
Reported as: Bell 47G5
Fatal injuries: 0

N8591FRegistration cancelled Oct 11, 1996 · Bell 47G-5S/N 7812 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.

Helicopter struck power lines in flight during aerial application. (-23) pilot had completed aerial application of fertilizer to cranberry bog and was departing bog to move to another area. Pilot's attention was drawn inside while he turned off the aerial dispensing unit. When pilot looked back outside he saw wires directly in front of the helicopter. Pilot was unable to avoid striking the wires. Aircraft struck wires with the main rotor blades and crashed directly below wires and approximately halfway between the poles supporting the wires. Mr. Hardy stated that he had been fertilizing the bog for several hours and knew the wires were there but when he drew his attention inside he momentarily forgot they were there. Weather was hazy and the wire strands were steel that had oxidized and they were difficult to see as stated by Mr. Hardy.

As the FAA filed it

HELICOPTER STRUCK POWER LINES IN FLIGHT DURING AERIAL APPLICATION. (-23) PILOT HAD COMPLETED AERIAL APPLICATION OF FERTILIZER TO CRANBERRY BOG AND WAS DEPARTING BOG TO MOVE TO ANOTHER AREA. PILOT'S ATTENTION WAS DRAWN INSIDE WHILE HE TURNED OFF THE AERIAL DISPENSING UNIT. WHEN PILOT LOOKED BACK OUTSIDE HE SAW WIRES DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE HELICOPTER. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID STRIKING THE WIRES. AIRCRAFT STRUCK WIRES WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND CRASHED DIRECTLY BELOW WIRES AND APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY BETWEEN THE POLES SUPPORTING THE WIRES. MR. HARDY STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN FERTILIZING THE BOG FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND KNEW THE WIRES WERE THERE BUT WHEN HE DREW HIS ATTENTION INSIDE HE MOMENTARILY FORGOT THEY WERE THERE. WEATHER WAS HAZY AND THE WIRE STRANDS WERE STEEL THAT HAD OXIDIZED AND THEY WERE DIFFICULT TO SEE AS STATED BY MR. HARDY.

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 NYC96LA145Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCarver, MAthe pilot's inadequate visual look out for obstacles, which resulted in a collision with wires and the ground.Jul 8, 1996 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8591F · 1

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

Accident 19900426011829AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Rochester, MALost RPM during a spray run. Turned to avoid trees lost control and crashed carburetor icing conditions.Apr 26, 1990 · Substantial damage