# Accident 20010710015149A: Bell 47, Indianola, MS, July 10, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 10, 2001, 10:30 local time
- Place: Indianola, MS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 33.4507° N, 90.7495° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4507&lon=-90.7495&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8478D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8478D) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 47G-2 (registry code 1181008, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming VO-435 series (registry code 41525, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-435-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 47
- Reported engine: LYC VO435A1D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 600 total, 300 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL01LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA075) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010710015149A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WHILE ENROUTE FROM INDIANOLA, MS. TO ITTA BENA, MS., TO SPRAY A COTTON FIELD, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT. THE ACFT. WAS AT APPROX. 550 TO 600 FEET AGL SO THE PILOT AUTO ROTATED TO THE GROUND.  THE ACFT LANDED ON A DIRT ROAD IN A COTTON FIELD, AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER.  THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.  THE RIGHT LANDING SKID FRACTURED IN THREE PLACES.  THE ENGINE OIL SCREEN HAS METAL PARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE SCREEN AND THE BOTTOM OF THE FILTER BOWL.              (.19) ON JULY 10, 2001, AT 1030 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47 HELICOPTER, N8478D, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER DURING AN AUTOROTATION FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR INDIANOLA, MISSISSIPPI.  THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY TALON AIR SERVICES UNDER THE PROVISION OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED.  VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.  THE FLIGHT DEPARTED INDIANOLA, MISSISSIPPI, AT 1025.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE ENROUTE TO THE NEXT FIELD TO BE SPRAYED, AT 500 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST POWER.  AFTER ATT EMPTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER, THE PILOT SELECTED A NEARBY FIELD FOR AN AUTOROTATION. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE AUTOROTATIVE MANEUVER WAS NORMAL, BUT WHEN THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN, IT ROLLED OVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE.                                                                          (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE ENROUTE TO THE NEXT FIELD TO BE SPRAYED, AT 500 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AFTER ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER, THE PILOT SELECTED A NEARBY FIELD. DURING THE AUTOROTATIVE TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE. DURING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION, METAL PARTICLES WERE RECOVERED FROM THE ENGINE OIL PUMP SCREEN AND THE ENGINE OIL FILTER ELEMENT. FURTHER EXAMINATION SHOWED THAT # 1 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD CAP WAS WEDGED BETWEEN THE SECOND CRANKSHAFT LOBE AND THE ENGINE CASE. THE EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER ALSO REVEALED THAT THE LANDING SKID AND CROSS-TUBS WERE FRACTURED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. THE FRACTURE EXAMINATION SHOWED ALL FRACTURES WERE IN OVERLOAD. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 935.1 HOURS SINCE THE LAST MAJOR OVERHAUL.

## 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 ATL01LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA075), Jul 10, 2001: Bell 47 (N8478D), Indianola, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper use of flight controls during an autorotation that resulted inn the collapse of the skids and cross tube assembly. A factor was the loss of engine power due to the failure of # 1…

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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