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20000909005949A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Bell 47G-3B-2 · Pinehill, AL · September 9, 2000

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 9, 2000 · 14:15 local
Place
Pinehill, AL
Phase of flight
To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
ZIOL
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N2243W
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL00LA086
Reported as
Bell 47G3B2
Reported engine
Allison 250C10D
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
30,000 total5,000 in this make and model300 in the last 90 days
N2243WRegistration cancelled Nov 13, 2003 · Bell 47G-3B-2S/N 6755 · Built 1969Airframe modelBell 47G-3B-2Engine modelLycoming TVO-435-GIATurbo-prop

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) Pilot was interrupted by customer while untying straps securing helicopter to transport trailer during relocation. He had untied three of four straps and returned to helicopter and attempted to take offf with fourth strap still secured. Helicopter tilted to right and rotor blades contacted the ground, severly damaging the helicopter. (.4)on September 9, 2000, at 1415 CDT, a Bell 47G-3B-2, N2243W,registered to and operated by aerial application technologogies, was substantially damaged when it collided with the gorund during an attempted takeoff from a trailer 20 miles north of pine hill, AL. The airline transport certified pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local aerial application flight being conducted under title 14 CFR part 137. The flight was originating from pine hill, Alabama, at the time of the accident. According to the pilot, while attempting to conduct timber spraying, he neglected to untie one of the skid tie downs prior to liftoff from the trailer on which the helicopter was positioned. The pilot stated that he diverted his attention away from his preflight actions to speak with the customer about the block area of timber he was to spray. When the briefing was over, he got in the helicopter, started the engine, and attempted to liftoff. The helicopter rolled over to the right and subsequently collided with the ground, substantially damaging the helicopter. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were found during the postaccident examination of the helicopter.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS INTERRUPTED BY CUSTOMER WHILE UNTYING STRAPS SECURING HELICOPTER TO TRANSPORT TRAILER DURING RELOCATION. HE HAD UNTIED THREE OF FOUR STRAPS AND RETURNED TO HELICOPTER AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFFF WITH FOURTH STRAP STILL SECURED. HELICOPTER TILTED TO RIGHT AND ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND, SEVERLY DAMAGING THE HELICOPTER. (.4)ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2000, AT 1415 CDT, A BELL 47G-3B-2, N2243W,REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY AERIAL APPLICATION TECHNOLOGOGIES, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE GORUND DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM A TRAILER 20 MILES NORTH OF PINE HILL, AL. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFIED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 137. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING FROM PINE HILL, ALABAMA, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CONDUCT TIMBER SPRAYING, HE NEGLECTED TO UNTIE ONE OF THE SKID TIE DOWNS PRIOR TO LIFTOFF FROM THE TRAILER ON WHICH THE HELICOPTER WAS POSITIONED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION AWAY FROM HIS PREFLIGHT ACTIONS TO SPEAK WITH THE CUSTOMER ABOUT THE BLOCK AREA OF TIMBER HE WAS TO SPRAY. WHEN THE BRIEFING WAS OVER, HE GOT IN THE HELICOPTER, STARTED THE ENGINE, AND ATTEMPTED TO LIFTOFF. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER TO THE RIGHT AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE HELICOPTER. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE FOUND DURING THE POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER.

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 ATL00LA086Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPine Hill, ALThe pilot's failure to adequately preflight the helicopter, which resulted in his failure to remove the tie down.Sep 9, 2000 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2243W · 6

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

Accident 19970819023179AMontrose, COHelicopter was attempting a rotation and made a hard landing.Aug 19, 1997 · Substantial damageAccident 19880624025849APwr Off Run Land (Autorotation · Terry, MTRan out of fuel en route. Lost rotor RPM during autorotation while clearing wires. Fell vertically to the ground.Jun 24, 1988 · Substantial damageIncident 19870416030149ITo Vertical (Helicopter Only) · Carbondale, COHelicopter settled through crusty snow during attempt to move aircraft. Tail rotor damage.Apr 16, 1987 · Minor damageAccident 19810930065139ASfl Autorotation · Albany, ORDuring practice autorotation landing skid dropped into rut causing helicoptor to tip. Rotor blades struck ground.Sep 30, 1981 · Substantial damageIncident 19800513049329IAutorot Descent (Rotorcraft) · Albany, ORDuring flair, prior to touchdown, float equipped copter, tail rotor made contact with water.May 13, 1980 · Minor damageAccident 19800328010469ALevel Off Touchdown · Albany, ORStudent pulled collective late on practice autorotation landing. Hard, uneven touchdown cut off tail boom.Mar 28, 1980 · Substantial damage