# Accident 20000215010329A: Bell 47G5, Riverbank, CA, February 15, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 15, 2000, 16:28 local time - Place: Riverbank, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Operator: G4BG - Location: 37.7293° N, 120.9502° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7293&lon=-120.9502&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4754R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4754R-2012-12-13) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bell 47G-5 (registry code 1181032, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-5) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming VO-435 series (registry code 41525, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-435-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 47G5 - Reported engine: LYC VO435B1A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 5,513 total, 2,730 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA100) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000215010329A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) MR. TIMOTHY ALLEN WELLS WAS ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF A BELL HELICOPTER MODEL BHT-47-G5, N4754R, ENGAGED INTHE AERIAL ARGICULTURAL CHEMICAL APPLICATION ON PEACHES AT RIVERBANK, CA. AT APPROXIMATELY 1628 HOURS PST MR. WELSS BEGAN A TAKEOFF FROM A CHEMICAL RESUPPLY TRUCK WITH THE AG CHEMICAL RESUPPLY HOSE STILL ATTACHED TO THE HELICOPTER. AT 20 TO 30 FEET FROM THE TRUCK, THE HOSE TIGHTENED, SNAPPED AND PULLED THE HELICOPTER TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT PEDAL TO ALINE THE HELICOPTER WITHTHE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL TO THE NORTH. SOME ROTOR RPM HAD BLEED OFF AND DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE HELICOPTER IT RAN OUT OF THE LEFT AND SETTLED TO THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND HARD ENOUGH TO BREAK THE SPRAGE MOUNT LOOSE AND THE MAIN ROTOR MAST BEGAN TO BEAT ON THE FUEL TANK CAUSING FUEL TO SPILL ONTO THE EXHAUST AND START A FIRE. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE COCKPIT BUBBLE BREAKING IT OUT, WHICH CAUSED THE SYSTEM TO STOP. THE PILOT EXITED WITHOUT INJURY. THE HELICOPTER WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BUT NOT DESTROYED. (.4) ON FEBRUARY 15, 2000, AT 1628 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A BELL 47G5, N4754R, CRASHED AND BURNED DURING TAKEOFF FROM AN AGRICULTURAL LANDING SITE AT RIVERBANK, CALIFORNIA. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE; HOWEVER, THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED BY GREENBELT AVIATION AS AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 137 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT HAD LANDED TO REFILL THE AIRCRAFT'S HOPPER FROM A TRUCK-MOUNTED RE-SUPPLY TANK. AFTER REFILLING THE HOPPER, THE PILOT INSTRUCTED THE GROUND SUPPORT PERSON TO REPOSITION THE TRUCK TO THE NEXT WORK SITE. THE GROUND SUPPORT PERSON DID NOT REMOVE THE LOADING HOSE FROM THE HOPPER AND THE PILOT DID NOT VERIFY THAT THE HOSE HAD BEEN REMOVED BEFORE TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE HELICOPTER FLEW ABOUT 20 TO 30 FEET BEFORE IT WAS PULLED TO THE LEFT AS THE HOSE BECAME TAUGHT AND FINALLY SNAPPED. THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT PEDAL TO REGAIN FORWARD ATTITUDE BUT, AS HE DID SO, THE HELICOPTER LOST MAIN ROTOR SPEED AND ABRUPTLY SETTLED TO THE GROUND. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLAPPED DOWN, STRIKING THE GROUND, AND SHATTERING THE COCKPIT BUBBLE. THE LOWER SPRAGUE SYSTEM SEPARATED AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND, SHIFTING THE MAIN ROTOR MAST. THIS SHIFT MOVED THE FUEL TANK AND RUPTURED THE MAIN FUEL LINE. THE FUEL SPILLED ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND A FIRE BEGAN. AFTER THE BLADES STOPPED, THE PILOT EXITED THE HELICOPTER THROUGH THE BROKEN BUBBLE. ## 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 LAX00LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA100), Feb 16, 2000: Bell 47G5 (N4754R), Riverbank, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to verify that ground personnel had disconnected the loading hose from the hopper before takeoff, resulting in restricted directional control and a hard landing. ## Other reports on N4754R (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19730831028719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730831028719A), Aug 31, 1973: Bell 47G5 (N4754R), Santa Clara, CA, Substantial damage. Lndd in shopping center. 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.