# Accident 19981204039129A: Bell 47G3B1, Winterhaven, CA, December 4, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 4, 1998, 01:00 local time
- Place: Winterhaven, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 32.8705° N, 114.7196° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8705&lon=-114.7196&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3084G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3084G-2020-10-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-3B-1 (registry code 1181028, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-3b-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47G3B1
- Reported engine: LYC TVO435B1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 18,065 total, 10,000 in this make and model, 215 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA049) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981204039129A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 LAX99LA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA049), Dec 4, 1998: Bell 47G-3B-1 (N3084G), Winterhaven, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain rotor rpm. A factor was his attempt to take off over gross weight.

## Other reports on N3084G (3)

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

- [Accident 20010209002979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010209002979A), Feb 9, 2001: Bell 47G3B1 (N3084G), Winterhaven, CA, Substantial damage. (-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…
- [Accident 19800907040709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800907040709A), Sep 7, 1980: Bell 47G3B1 (N3084G), Bellflower, CA, Substantial damage. Engine quit while banner-towing, due to fuel exhaustion. Crash-landed in residential street.
- [Accident 19741121037609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19741121037609A), Nov 21, 1974: Bell 47G3B1 (N3084G), Joshua Tree, CA, Substantial damage. Lndg at 6500 ft,lost lift,hard lndg. Wind & direction variable

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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