19980729023559A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47D1 · Monticello, MS · July 29, 1998

Date: July 29, 1998 · 18:45 local
Place: Monticello, MS
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: KYTG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1016A
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA98LA214
Reported as: Bell 47D1
Reported engine: Franklin 6V4178B32
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,400 total1,200 in this make and model170 in the last 90 days

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.

(.4)While maneuvering during an aerial application, the pilot said that he was attempting to clear some power lines when he reported that the engine lost power and the rotor RPM dropped, resulting in a loss of control. The helicopter struck the ground sideways, and rolled over, causing the main rotor blades to strike the ground. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA revealed that fuel was present. The FAA inspector said, '... When he (pilot) attempted to climb over the powerlines to his left, he seemed to have lost power and the aircraft came back down on the right side and (the) blade struck the ground and he crashed. According to the FAA inspector's report the pilot lost control of the helicopter, and no discrepancies could be found with the airframe or the engine. The pilot did not return the NTSB form 6120.1/2. His factual account of the accident are not known. (-23) maneuvering - wind shift, loss of control, struck ground and rolled over.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)WHILE MANEUVERING DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO CLEAR SOME POWER LINES WHEN HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE ROTOR RPM DROPPED, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE GROUND SIDEWAYS, AND ROLLED OVER, CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE BY THE FAA REVEALED THAT FUEL WAS PRESENT. THE FAA INSPECTOR SAID, '... WHEN HE (PILOT) ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB OVER THE POWERLINES TO HIS LEFT, HE SEEMED TO HAVE LOST POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME BACK DOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND (THE) BLADE STRUCK THE GROUND AND HE CRASHED. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR'S REPORT THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, AND NO DISCREPANCIES COULD BE FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME OR THE ENGINE. THE PILOT DID NOT RETURN THE NTSB FORM 6120.1/2. HIS FACTUAL ACCOUNT OF THE ACCIDENT ARE NOT KNOWN. (-23) MANEUVERING - WIND SHIFT, LOSS OF CONTROL, STRUCK GROUND AND ROLLED OVER.

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 MIA98LA214Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMonticello, MSthe pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter while maneuvering resulting in the main rotor blades striking the ground.Jul 29, 1998 · Substantial damage