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20030719014569A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 47G-2A · Tulare, CA · July 19, 2003

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Date
July 19, 2003 · 23:30 local
Place
Tulare, CA
Phase of flight
To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
YL7G
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N4774S
Reported as
Bell 47G2A
Reported engine
Lycoming VO435*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
6,500 total6,000 in this make and model120 in the last 90 days
N4774SRegistration cancelled Mar 15, 2018 · Bell 47G-2AS/N WAV182 · Built 1965Airframe modelBell 47G-2AEngine modelLycoming VO-435 seriesReciprocating

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 lifted off from trailer to conduct agricultural spray operations after refueling. At approximately 20' AGL and 30 KIAS to 40 KIAS, engine overspeed occurred and helicopter encountered a severe airframe vibration accompanied by loud noise from transmission. Helicopter yawed 90 degrees left and settled into cotton field in a level attitude. Ground impact occurred at 20 KIAS and the main rotor blade struck the ground. The helicopter rolled to the right coming to rest partially inverted supported by the mast and rotorhead. Inspection of the transmission determined the rotor drive flange shear screws had sheared. Shear screws appeared to be properly installed. No foreign material was found in the transmission. Transmission appeared to be adequately lubricated.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT LIFTED OFF FROM TRAILER TO CONDUCT AGRICULTURAL SPRAY OPERATIONS AFTER REFUELING. AT APPROXIMATELY 20' AGL AND 30 KIAS TO 40 KIAS, ENGINE OVERSPEED OCCURRED AND HELICOPTER ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE AIRFRAME VIBRATION ACCOMPANIED BY LOUD NOISE FROM TRANSMISSION. HELICOPTER YAWED 90 DEGREES LEFT AND SETTLED INTO COTTON FIELD IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. GROUND IMPACT OCCURRED AT 20 KIAS AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE RIGHT COMING TO REST PARTIALLY INVERTED SUPPORTED BY THE MAST AND ROTORHEAD. INSPECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION DETERMINED THE ROTOR DRIVE FLANGE SHEAR SCREWS HAD SHEARED. SHEAR SCREWS APPEARED TO BE PROPERLY INSTALLED. NO FOREIGN MATERIAL WAS FOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION APPEARED TO BE ADEQUATELY LUBRICATED.

Other reports on N4774S · 2

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

Accident 20150227001849AManeuver · Ivanhoe, CAWhile performing aerial application, the rotorcraft struck a power line and crashed in an orange grove. Just prior to the accident the PIC had noticed workers in an adjacent field. He landed the helo and instructed his ground crew to have the workers vacate…Feb 27, 2015 · DestroyedAccident 19770419008909ALow Level Operations · Lake Wales, FLRotor RPM decayed during evasive maneuver to avoid wiresApr 19, 1977 · Substantial damage