# Accident 19980614013369A: Bell 47G4A, Shafter, CA, June 14, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 14, 1998, 15:30 local time - Place: Shafter, CA - Airport: Shafter-Minter Field Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Location: 35.4897° N, 119.3007° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4897&lon=-119.3007&mi=10 - Aircraft: N110DT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N110DT-2018-06-08) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bell 47G-4A (registry code 1181031, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-4a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming VO-540 series (registry code 41534, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 47G4A - Reported engine: LYC VO540B1B3 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 7,000 total, 6,000 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA197) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980614013369A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. BELL 47G-4A HELICOPTER MADE A HARD LANDING AND TIPPED OVER ON ITS NOSE. ST. PETERSBURG, FL.(.4) ON JUNE 14, 1998, AT 1530 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47G-4A, N110DT, EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING AT THE SHAFTER-MINTER AIRPORT IN SHAFTER, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 137 AGRICULTURAL OPERATION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A NORMAL TAKEOFF TO THE NORTHWEST AND CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AGL. HE THEN MADE A 180-DEGREE TURN BACK TOWARD THE LANDING AREA AND INITIATED A "STEEPER THAN NORMAL" APPROACH TO LAND. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SETTLE WITH POWER, AND THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET WEST OF THE INTENDED LANDING ZONE AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE HELICOPTER PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, BUT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE MADE A SHALLOWER APPROACH. THE WINDS WERE FROM A DIRECTION OF 280 DEGREES AT A VELOCITY OF 9 KNOTS. THE APPROACH WAS MADE TO AN APPROXIMATE DIRECTION OF 120 DEGREES. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A STEEP DOWNWIND APPROACH TO THE LANDING PAD AND THE HELICOPTER ENTERED INTO SETTLING WITH POWER (VORTEX RING STATE). HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO RECOVER AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE TERRAIN ABOUT 500 FEET WEST OF THE INTENDED LANDING ZONE. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE HELICOPTER PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, BUT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE MADE A SHALLOWER APPROACH.(-23) THE BHT-47 AGRICULTURE HELICOPTER DEPARTED THE COMPANY'S HELICOPTER PAD TO THE NORTHSEST AND SPRAYED WATER OUT OF THE AERIAL APPLICATION RIG TO RINSE IT OUT. WHEN THE BHT-47 REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 300 FEET AGL, THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES TO FLY BACK TO THE COMPANY HELICOPTER PAD. AS THE BHT-47 WAS MAKING A STEEP APPROACH TO THE HELICOPTER PAD, THE AIRCRAFT LOST LIFT, DUE TO SETTLING WITH POWER, AND MADE AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER MADE A HARD LANDING CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TO CUT OFF THE AFT END OF THE TAIL BOOM, SEPARATING THE TAIL ROTOR FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY AND HAD NO INJURIES. ## 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 LAX98LA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA197), Jun 14, 1998: Bell 47G-4A (N110DT), Shafter, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The aircraft's encounter with settling with power, which resulted from the pilot's decision to perform a steep downwind approach. ## Other reports on N110DT (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20050525010219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050525010219A), May 25, 2005: Bell 47G4A (N110DT), Buttonwillow, CA, Destroyed. (-23) The pilot knew that the power lines were near the edge of the field but failed to miss them as he approached the cotton field on his second pass. An… - [Accident 20010531009989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010531009989A), May 31, 2001: Bell 47G4A (N110DT), Bakersffield, CA, Substantial damage. (.19)On may 31, 2001, at 1136 hours pacific daylight time, a Bell 47G-4A, N110DT, crashed under unknown circumstances near bakersfield, California. The… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.