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20050519034269A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 47G-3B-1 · Twin Brooks, SD · May 19, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 19, 2005 · 18:15 local
Place
Twin Brooks, SD
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
LPGG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8505F
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI05CA147
Reported as
Bell 47G3B1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
5,124 total2,000 in this make and model13 in the last 90 days
N8505FRegistration cancelled May 4, 2019 · Bell 47G-3B-1S/N 3379 · Built 1971Airframe modelBell 47G-3B-1Engine 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) On may 19, 2005, at approximately 6:15 pm CDT, a Bell helicopter aircraft m/n BHT-47-G3B1, N8505F, operated by commercial pilot privacy data omitted was flying down the railroad tracks spraying at 15-20 feet above the ground at airspeed of 43-45 mph when he hit some wires. He stated he was looking forward down the track and that the bubble was clean. There were no restrictions to his visibility. He saw one pole that was way off to his left in the distance. He stated that there were trees off to his right and the pole was tucked down in the trees. He did not see this pole. He did see the wires immediately before impact. The wires went over the top of the bubble and hit the main rotor shaft. This pulled the helicopter down and he contacted the tracks in a flat attitude. He shut off the fuel and turned off the switches inside the helicopter to avoid a fire. The pilot was alone on board the aircraft at the time of the accident and received minor injuries. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were reported. The aircraft was conducting aerial application under CFR part 137 (cert. #lpgg) when the accident happened. Visual meteorological conditions prevaile d at the time and the pilot stated that he did not see the wires. The aircraft was destroyed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MAY 19, 2005, AT APPROXIMATELY 6:15 PM CDT, A BELL HELICOPTER AIRCRAFT M/N BHT-47-G3B1, N8505F, OPERATED BY COMMERCIAL PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FLYING DOWN THE RAILROAD TRACKS SPRAYING AT 15-20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AT AIRSPEED OF 43-45 MPH WHEN HE HIT SOME WIRES. HE STATED HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD DOWN THE TRACK AND THAT THE BUBBLE WAS CLEAN. THERE WERE NO RESTRICTIONS TO HIS VISIBILITY. HE SAW ONE POLE THAT WAS WAY OFF TO HIS LEFT IN THE DISTANCE. HE STATED THAT THERE WERE TREES OFF TO HIS RIGHT AND THE POLE WAS TUCKED DOWN IN THE TREES. HE DID NOT SEE THIS POLE. HE DID SEE THE WIRES IMMEDIATELY BEFORE IMPACT. THE WIRES WENT OVER THE TOP OF THE BUBBLE AND HIT THE MAIN ROTOR SHAFT. THIS PULLED THE HELICOPTER DOWN AND HE CONTACTED THE TRACKS IN A FLAT ATTITUDE. HE SHUT OFF THE FUEL AND TURNED OFF THE SWITCHES INSIDE THE HELICOPTER TO AVOID A FIRE. THE PILOT WAS ALONE ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION UNDER CFR PART 137 (CERT. #LPGG) WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILE D AT THE TIME AND THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE WIRES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

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 CHI05CA147Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportTwin Brooks, SDThe pilot's inadequate lookout and his failure to maintain clearance with the power lines. A factor was the low altitude at which the helicopter was operating.May 19, 2005 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8505F · 1

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

Incident 19900112005469IPwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate · Hebbronville, TXEngine quit due to fuel exhaustion. Autorotated to hard landing. Stated should have enough fuel for flying time.Jan 12, 1990 · Minor damage