What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was using a truck mounted elevated platform for takeoff. Immediately after takeoff, the pilot would nose the helo over to aid in flying into translational lift. On this, the fourth takeoff (possibly over maximum gross takeoff weight), 3-4 minutes apart, the pilot was unable to arrest the descent prior to hitting the ground with the skids. The helo bounced back into the air, slightly sideways with the nose to the right, came back down, dug the left skid and rolled over. The pilot stated that the wind may have shifted. (.19) on February 7, 2001, about 2001, about 0930 hours PST, a Bell 47G-5, N6260C, owned and operated by the pilot, took off from a truck bed during an agricultural application flight performed under 14 CFR part 137. The pilot reported that the helicopter climbed a few feet and the he lost control. The helicopter impacted terrain adjacent to the truck and rolled over. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The helicopter was substantially damaged. And the commercial certificated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from an open field near Pixley, CA. (.4) on February 7, 2001, about 0830 hours pacific standard time, a Bell 47G-5, N6260C, took off from a truck-mounted platform, climbed a few feet, settled into the ground, and rolled over. The helicopter was operated by slykerman ag aviation, and it was substantially damaged. The commercial certificated pilot was not injured during the agricultural application flight near Pixley, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was performed under 14 CFR part 137 and was originating at the time of the mishap. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions or failures were experienced in his restricted category helicopter. He indicated that, about the time of the mishap, the speed of the local surface wind was between zero and 5 knots. The federal aviation administration coordinator verbally reported that the helicopter appeared to have been operated between 80 and 100 pounds over its maximum certificated gross weight. He opined that this weight condition may have contributed to the helicopter's inability to sustain flight as the pilot attempted to pass through translational lift.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS USING A TRUCK MOUNTED ELEVATED PLATFORM FOR TAKEOFF. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT WOULD NOSE THE HELO OVER TO AID IN FLYING INTO TRANSLATIONAL LIFT. ON THIS, THE FOURTH TAKEOFF (POSSIBLY OVER MAXIMUM GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT), 3-4 MINUTES APART, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT PRIOR TO HITTING THE GROUND WITH THE SKIDS. THE HELO BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR, SLIGHTLY SIDEWAYS WITH THE NOSE TO THE RIGHT, CAME BACK DOWN, DUG THE LEFT SKID AND ROLLED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WIND MAY HAVE SHIFTED. (.19) ON FEBRUARY 7, 2001, ABOUT 2001, ABOUT 0930 HOURS PST, A BELL 47G-5, N6260C, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, TOOK OFF FROM A TRUCK BED DURING AN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION FLIGHT PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 137. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER CLIMBED A FEW FEET AND THE HE LOST CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE TRUCK AND ROLLED OVER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AND THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM AN OPEN FIELD NEAR PIXLEY, CA. (.4) ON FEBRUARY 7, 2001, ABOUT 0830 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A BELL 47G-5, N6260C, TOOK OFF FROM A TRUCK-MOUNTED PLATFORM, CLIMBED A FEW FEET, SETTLED INTO THE GROUND, AND ROLLED OVER. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED BY SLYKERMAN AG AVIATION, AND IT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED DURING THE AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION FLIGHT NEAR PIXLEY, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 137 AND WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE MISHAP. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE EXPERIENCED IN HIS RESTRICTED CATEGORY HELICOPTER. HE INDICATED THAT, ABOUT THE TIME OF THE MISHAP, THE SPEED OF THE LOCAL SURFACE WIND WAS BETWEEN ZERO AND 5 KNOTS. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR VERBALLY REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN OPERATED BETWEEN 80 AND 100 POUNDS OVER ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT. HE OPINED THAT THIS WEIGHT CONDITION MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE HELICOPTER'S INABILITY TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO PASS THROUGH TRANSLATIONAL LIFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N6260C · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.