20020914024429A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell OH-58A · Rochester, MA · September 14, 2002

Date: September 14, 2002 · 11:45 local
Place: Rochester, MA
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: FTYL
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N444JB
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD02LA094
Reported as: Bell OH58A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1

N444JBRegistered now · Bell OH-58AS/N 71-20362 · Built 1971 Airframe modelBell OH-58A Engine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-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 fatal when N444JB, OH-58A piloted by george norman clairmont, engaged in agricultural FAR 133 external load operations crashed while lifting containers of cranberries. A mast bumping situation occurred due to the unloading of the rotor system at high RPM causing the main rotor to flex downward severing the tail boom causing the helicopter to spin, crash on its side.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT FATAL WHEN N444JB, OH-58A PILOTED BY GEORGE NORMAN CLAIRMONT, ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURAL FAR 133 EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS CRASHED WHILE LIFTING CONTAINERS OF CRANBERRIES. A MAST BUMPING SITUATION OCCURRED DUE TO THE UNLOADING OF THE ROTOR SYSTEM AT HIGH RPM CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO FLEX DOWNWARD SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO SPIN, CRASH ON ITS SIDE.

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 IAD02LA094Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportRochester, MAThe pilot's failure to center the sling load prior to commencing forward flight. Also causal, was the pilot's improper decision to attempt a takeoff with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in an engine compressor stall.Sep 14, 2002 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N444JB · 2

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

Accident 19960701015689ASouth Carver, MAOn aerial application load became imbalanced. Lost control, made uncontrollabel right turn. Crashed in a pond. (-23) during aerial application of fertilizer, pilot lost directional control and an uncontrollable right turn was entered. Aircraft crashed into a…Jul 1, 1996 · Reported as Bell 206B · Substantial damage Incident 19900526028409IPwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate · East Haven, VTOn external load operation. Entered drop zone. Elected to go around. Rotor blades hit roof of building.May 26, 1990 · Reported as Bell 206B · Minor damage