# Accident 19970721019179A: Bell 47G2, Buttonwillow, CA, July 21, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 21, 1997, 10:25 local time
- Place: Buttonwillow, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: OGKG
- Location: 35.4303° N, 119.4895° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4303&lon=-119.4895&mi=10
- Aircraft: N919SF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N919SF-2000-12-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-2 (registry code 1181008, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G2
- Reported engine: LYC VO435A1F
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,096 total, 260 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97LA248](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA248) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970721019179A

## Narrative

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

GOING AROUND A POLE ON SPRAY RUN. MAIN ROTORS HIT POLE. ROLLED OVER AND BURNED.

## 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 LAX97LA248](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA248), Jul 21, 1997: Bell 47G-2 (N919SF), Buttonwillow, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to maintain adequate clearance from a utility pole (obstruction) during aerial application. The obstruction was a related factor.

## Other reports on N919SF (2)

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

- [Accident 19921031044439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19921031044439A), Oct 31, 1992: Bell 47G2 (N919SF), Gonzales, CA, Substantial damage. Reposition ag helicopter. Lifted to hover. Drifted backwards. Tail rotor struck wires. Blamed controls. No defects.
- [Accident 19750125004359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19750125004359A), Jan 25, 1975: Bell 47G2 (N919SF), Arroyo Grande, CA, Substantial damage. Lost dir ctl & lnd. No malfunction found.

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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