# Accident 19970811021649A: Bell 47D1, Holcomb, MS, August 11, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 1997, 14:05 local time
- Place: Holcomb, MS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 33.7494° N, 89.9600° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7494&lon=-89.9600&mi=10
- Aircraft: N908B, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N908B) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47D1 (registry code 1180802, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47d1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Franklin 6V4 series (registry code 27033, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6v4-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47D1
- Reported engine: LYC VO435*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL97LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA121) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970811021649A

## Narrative

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

HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN AERIAL APPLICATION, HIT A TELEPHONE LINE AND LANDED IN A FIELD.(.4) THE PILOT STATED THE COTTON FIELD HE WAS GOING TO SPRAY WITH INSECTICIDE WAS LINED WITH UTILITY LINES. HE CIRCLED THE FIELD `2 OR 3 TIMES TO LOCATE OBSTRUCTIONS', AND BEGAN SPRAYING. AFTER FINISHING ABOUT HALF THE FIELD, HE STRUCK A UTILITY LINE THAT WAS `HIDDEN BY THE SURROUNDING TREES'. THE NOSE PITCHED UP, AND THE UTILITY LINE WRAPPED AROUND THE HELICOPTER'S MAST. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROTATED 150 TO 160 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, AND IT SETTLED TO THE GROUND IN A `HARD LANDING'.                         (-23) PILOT STATED HE HAD MADE SEVERAL FLIGHTS TO LOCATE WIRES, THEN MADE A PASS TO APPLY CHEMICAL AND DID NOT SEE PHONE WIRE UNTIL IT WAS IN HIS EYES.

## 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 ATL97LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA121), Aug 11, 1997: Bell 47-D1 (N908B), Holcomb, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to adequately see and avoid all obstructions while doing aerial application work.

## Other reports on N908B (6)

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

- [Accident 19940913026889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940913026889A), Sep 13, 1994: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Hazel Green, AL, Substantial damage. Aborted takeoff for unknown condition. Tried slide landing in tall grass skid caught cotton. Broke. Rolled over.
- [Accident 19890512011449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890512011449A), May 12, 1989: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Shelbyville, TN, Substantial damage. Loud bang engine RPM at red line. Shut down but too low for autorotation. Impact chopped tailboom. No cause given.
- [Accident 19870708034359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870708034359A), Jul 8, 1987: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Huntsville, AL, Substantial damage. The agricultural spray helicopter settled into crops during a downwind turn. Pilot failed to maintain rotor speed.
- [Accident 19790901023879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790901023879A), Sep 1, 1979: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Hahira, GA, Substantial damage. Lost control of helicopter due to binding fore and aft power cylinder. Situation called for more pressure by pilot.
- [Accident 19770702017889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770702017889A), Jul 2, 1977: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Berlin, GA, Substantial damage. Simplex P/N3630224 failed.
- [Accident 19760604014829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760604014829A), Jun 4, 1976: Bell 47D1 (N908B), Sublette, KS, Substantial damage. Wheat entangled in the skids-pulled acft into ground.

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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