20030706018439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-5 · Salinas, CA · July 6, 2003

Date: July 6, 2003 · 10:30 local
Place: Salinas, CA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: LSJG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7938J
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03LA226
Reported as: Bell 47G5
Reported engine: Lycoming VO435B1A
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,500 total8,000 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days

N7938JRegistration cancelled Nov 21, 2016 · Bell 47G-5S/N 25043 · Built 1971 Airframe modelBell 47G-5 Engine modelLycoming 0-435BReciprocating

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) The pilot reported he had made several passes during an aerial application flight. While on the downwind leg the engine shuttered violently then quit. The pilot performed a run-on landing. During the landing sequence the main rotor blade made contact with the tailboom of the helicopter severing the tail rotor gearbox. The engine of the helicopter was externally inspected and the aft section of the engine case was ruptured. The engine on the accident helicopter had 623 hours since last overhaul.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD MADE SEVERAL PASSES DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG THE ENGINE SHUTTERED VIOLENTLY THEN QUIT. THE PILOT PERFORMED A RUN-ON LANDING. DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE MADE CONTACT WITH THE TAILBOOM OF THE HELICOPTER SEVERING THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX. THE ENGINE OF THE HELICOPTER WAS EXTERNALLY INSPECTED AND THE AFT SECTION OF THE ENGINE CASE WAS RUPTURED. THE ENGINE ON THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER HAD 623 HOURS SINCE LAST OVERHAUL.

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 LAX03LA226Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSalinas, CAThe failure of a piston connecting rod during an aerial application, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing.Jul 6, 2003 · Substantial damage