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20010209002979A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 47G-3B-1 · Winterhaven, CA · February 9, 2001

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 9, 2001 · 19:00 local
Place
Winterhaven, CA
Phase of flight
Aerial Taxi From Ldg/Rtrcrft
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
SZDG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3084G
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX01LA098
Reported as
Bell 47G3B1
Reported engine
Lycoming TVO435B1A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
18,930 total2,500 in this make and model52 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)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 owned and operated by sundown helicopters, inc., of yuma, AZ., and was substantially damaged. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight which was operating under 14 CFR part 137. The flight was originating at the time of the occurrence. The pilot reported that he was applying chemicals to a field of lettuce and had just taken off from his truck platform with 60 gallons of chemicals. He said that he was about 20 feet AGL and had a forward air speed of approx. 30 miles per hour when he heard a loud screeching sound, followed by a yaw to the left, a rapid decay of rotor RPM and an increase/overspeed in engine RPM. The helicopter then collided with the ground. (.4) on February 9, 2001, about 1900 hours pacific standard time, a Bell 47-G3B1, N3084G, landed hard near Winterhaven, California, following a drive train failure during a night agricultural spraying operation. The helicopter was owned and operated by sundown helicopters, inc., of yuma, Arizona, and was substantially damaged. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was operating under 14 CFR part 137. The flight was originating at the time of the occurrence. The pilot reported that he was applying chemicals to a field of lettuce and had just taken off from his truck platform with 60 gallons of chemicals. He said that he was about 20 feet above ground level and had a forward air speed of approximately 30 miles per hour when he heard a loud screeching sound, followed by a yaw to the left, a rapid decay of rotor RPM, and an increase/overspeed in engine RPM. The helicopter landed hard, collapsing the skids. Post accident examination of the transmission was conducted on February 10, 2001. Examination of the free wheeling unit revealed the outer surface of the inner gear assembly was worn below allowable limits at the roller/gear operating surface. No other discrepancies were noted.

As the FAA filed it

(-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 OWNED AND OPERATED BY SUNDOWN HELICOPTERS, INC., OF YUMA, AZ., AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT WHICH WAS OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 137. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS APPLYING CHEMICALS TO A FIELD OF LETTUCE AND HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM HIS TRUCK PLATFORM WITH 60 GALLONS OF CHEMICALS. HE SAID THAT HE WAS ABOUT 20 FEET AGL AND HAD A FORWARD AIR SPEED OF APPROX. 30 MILES PER HOUR WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD SCREECHING SOUND, FOLLOWED BY A YAW TO THE LEFT, A RAPID DECAY OF ROTOR RPM AND AN INCREASE/OVERSPEED IN ENGINE RPM. THE HELICOPTER THEN COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. (.4) ON FEBRUARY 9, 2001, ABOUT 1900 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A BELL 47-G3B1, N3084G, LANDED HARD NEAR WINTERHAVEN, CALIFORNIA, FOLLOWING A DRIVE TRAIN FAILURE DURING A NIGHT AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING OPERATION. THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY SUNDOWN HELICOPTERS, INC., OF YUMA, ARIZONA, AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 137. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS APPLYING CHEMICALS TO A FIELD OF LETTUCE AND HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM HIS TRUCK PLATFORM WITH 60 GALLONS OF CHEMICALS. HE SAID THAT HE WAS ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND HAD A FORWARD AIR SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES PER HOUR WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD SCREECHING SOUND, FOLLOWED BY A YAW TO THE LEFT, A RAPID DECAY OF ROTOR RPM, AND AN INCREASE/OVERSPEED IN ENGINE RPM. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, COLLAPSING THE SKIDS. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS CONDUCTED ON FEBRUARY 10, 2001. EXAMINATION OF THE FREE WHEELING UNIT REVEALED THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE INNER GEAR ASSEMBLY WAS WORN BELOW ALLOWABLE LIMITS AT THE ROLLER/GEAR OPERATING SURFACE. NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED.

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 LAX01LA098Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWinterhaven, CAA failure of the transmission free wheeling unit due to improper maintenance. A factor was the dark night visual condition.Feb 10, 2001 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3084G · 3

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

Accident 19981204039129AForced/Precautionary Landing · Winterhaven, CA(-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…Dec 4, 1998 · 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