20020624013229A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-2A · La Belle, FL · June 24, 2002

Date
June 24, 2002 · 09:00 local
Place
La Belle, FL
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
WOBG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8486E
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL02LA128
Reported as
Bell 47G2A
Reported engine
Lycoming VO435*
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,540 total350 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

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.

(.19) On June 24, 2002, at 0900 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G-2A helicopter, N8486E, registered to and operated by airwork enterprises of Florida, inc., collided with power lines while maneuvering in a grove in La Belle, Florida. The aerial application flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 137 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The flight originated in the grove in La Belle, Florida, about 0800. The pilot was executing swath runs to apply herbicide solutions to weed plants. While finishing with the second load of spray, the pilot maneuvered to turn the helicopter around and struck unmarked power lines approximately 75 to 100 feet above the ground. The pilot stated he was not aware the wires were there. The pilot then lost control of the helicopter, and it came down on its side and impacted trees. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction with the helicopter. Examination of the wreckage revealed the main rotor system was damaged, the tail boom was separated, the canopy was shattered, and one skid was separated. (-23) the pilot was executing swath runs to apply herbicide solutions to weed plants. While finishing with the second load of spray, the pilot maneuvered to turn the helicopter around and struck unmarked power lines approximately 75 to 100 feet above the ground. The pilot stated he was not aware the wires were there. The pilot then lost control of the helicopter, and it came down on its side and impacted trees. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction with the helicopter. (.4) on June 24, 2002, at 0900 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G-2A helicopter, N8486E, registered to and operated by airwork enterprises of Florida, inc., collided with power lines while maneuvering in a grove in La Belle, Florida. The aerial application flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 137 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The flight originated in the grove in La Belle, flo rida, about 0800. The pilot was executing swath runs to apply herbicide solutions to weed plants. While finishing with the second load of spray, the pilot maneuvered to turn the helicopter around and struck unmarked power lines approximately 75 to 100 feet above the ground. The pilot stated he was not aware the wires were there. The pilot then lost control of the helicopter, and it came down on its side and impacted trees. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction with the helicopter. Examination of the wreckage revealed the main rotor system was damaged, the tail boom was separated, the canopy was shattered, and one skid was separated.

As the FAA filed it

(.19) ON JUNE 24, 2002, AT 0900 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47G-2A HELICOPTER, N8486E, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY AIRWORK ENTERPRISES OF FLORIDA, INC., COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES WHILE MANEUVERING IN A GROVE IN LA BELLE, FLORIDA. THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN THE GROVE IN LA BELLE, FLORIDA, ABOUT 0800. THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING SWATH RUNS TO APPLY HERBICIDE SOLUTIONS TO WEED PLANTS. WHILE FINISHING WITH THE SECOND LOAD OF SPRAY, THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO TURN THE HELICOPTER AROUND AND STRUCK UNMARKED POWER LINES APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS NOT AWARE THE WIRES WERE THERE. THE PILOT THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, AND IT CAME DOWN ON ITS SIDE AND IMPACTED TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE HELICOPTER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM WAS DAMAGED, THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEPARATED, THE CANOPY WAS SHATTERED, AND ONE SKID WAS SEPARATED. (-23) THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING SWATH RUNS TO APPLY HERBICIDE SOLUTIONS TO WEED PLANTS. WHILE FINISHING WITH THE SECOND LOAD OF SPRAY, THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO TURN THE HELICOPTER AROUND AND STRUCK UNMARKED POWER LINES APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS NOT AWARE THE WIRES WERE THERE. THE PILOT THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, AND IT CAME DOWN ON ITS SIDE AND IMPACTED TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE HELICOPTER. (.4) ON JUNE 24, 2002, AT 0900 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 47G-2A HELICOPTER, N8486E, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY AIRWORK ENTERPRISES OF FLORIDA, INC., COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES WHILE MANEUVERING IN A GROVE IN LA BELLE, FLORIDA. THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN THE GROVE IN LA BELLE, FLO RIDA, ABOUT 0800. THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING SWATH RUNS TO APPLY HERBICIDE SOLUTIONS TO WEED PLANTS. WHILE FINISHING WITH THE SECOND LOAD OF SPRAY, THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO TURN THE HELICOPTER AROUND AND STRUCK UNMARKED POWER LINES APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS NOT AWARE THE WIRES WERE THERE. THE PILOT THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, AND IT CAME DOWN ON ITS SIDE AND IMPACTED TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE HELICOPTER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM WAS DAMAGED, THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEPARATED, THE CANOPY WAS SHATTERED, AND ONE SKID WAS SEPARATED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.