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19981204039129A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 47G-3B-1 · Winterhaven, CA · December 4, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 4, 1998 · 01:00 local
Place
Winterhaven, CA
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3084G
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX99LA049
Reported as
Bell 47G3B1
Reported engine
Lycoming TVO435B1A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
18,065 total10,000 in this make and model215 in the last 90 days
N3084GRegistration cancelled Oct 3, 2020 · Bell 47G-3B-1S/N 2916Airframe modelBell 47G-3B-1

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.

(-23) Agricultural operator had just received a 30-40 gallon fuel load and had taken on a 50 gallon load of pesticide. After taking off and leveling at approximately 3 feet, the pilot while traveling horizontal, accelerated in an attempt to gain altitude. But the aircraft lost altitude and hit the muddy ground with his left skid. At that time the aircraft immediately stopped causing the main rotor to flex. The rotor flexed to the point that it struck and cut off the tail rotor and boom assembly. (.4) the pilot had been spraying the field for about 3 hours. He attempted to take off at or over gross weight and the rotor RPM began to decay. The helicopter was positioned perpendicular to the furrowed rows in the field and when the pilot attempted to land the left skid dug into the mud. The aircraft bounced forward and the main rotor blades flexed downward and severed the tailboom. The pilot reported that he had not experienced any mechanical discrepancies with the aircraft prior to the accident. He further stated that he had not experienced any problems with the engine during the accident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR HAD JUST RECEIVED A 30-40 GALLON FUEL LOAD AND HAD TAKEN ON A 50 GALLON LOAD OF PESTICIDE. AFTER TAKING OFF AND LEVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET, THE PILOT WHILE TRAVELING HORIZONTAL, ACCELERATED IN AN ATTEMPT TO GAIN ALTITUDE. BUT THE AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE AND HIT THE MUDDY GROUND WITH HIS LEFT SKID. AT THAT TIME THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY STOPPED CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO FLEX. THE ROTOR FLEXED TO THE POINT THAT IT STRUCK AND CUT OFF THE TAIL ROTOR AND BOOM ASSEMBLY. (.4) THE PILOT HAD BEEN SPRAYING THE FIELD FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS. HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF AT OR OVER GROSS WEIGHT AND THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY. THE HELICOPTER WAS POSITIONED PERPENDICULAR TO THE FURROWED ROWS IN THE FIELD AND WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND THE LEFT SKID DUG INTO THE MUD. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED FORWARD AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE DURING THE ACCIDENT.

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 LAX99LA049Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWinterhaven, CAThe failure of the pilot to maintain rotor rpm. A factor was his attempt to take off over gross weight.Dec 4, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3084G · 3

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

Accident 20010209002979AAerial Taxi From Ldg/Rtrcrft · Winterhaven, CA(-23)See attached narrative ptrs #LAX01LA098 (19) on February 9, 2001, about 1900 hours MST, a Bell 47-G3B1, N3084G, collided with the ground following a drive train failure near Winterhaven, CA. During an agricultural spraying operation. The helicopter was…Feb 9, 2001 · Substantial damageAccident 19800907040709ANormal Cruise · Bellflower, CAEngine quit while banner-towing, due to fuel exhaustion. Crash-landed in residential street.Sep 7, 1980 · Substantial damageAccident 19741121037609ALevel Off Touchdown · Joshua Tree, CALndg at 6500 ft,lost lift,hard lndg. Wind & direction variableNov 21, 1974 · Substantial damage