# Accident 19960708016149A: Bell 47G5, Wareham, MA, July 8, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 8, 1996, 12:30 local time
- Place: Wareham, MA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: AXSG
- Location: 41.7626° N, 70.7217° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Wareham, MA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7626&lon=-70.7217&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8591F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8591F-1996-10-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-5 (registry code 1181032, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC96LA145](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC96LA145) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960708016149A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC96LA145](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC96LA145), Jul 8, 1996: Bell 47G-5 (N8591F), Carver, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate visual look out for obstacles, which resulted in a collision with wires and the ground.

## Other reports on N8591F (1)

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

- [Accident 19900426011829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900426011829A), Apr 26, 1990: Bell 47G5 (N8591F), Rochester, MA, Substantial damage. Lost RPM during a spray run. Turned to avoid trees lost control and crashed carburetor icing conditions.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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