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20080714840859A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Bell 47G-3B-1 · Shafter, CA · July 14, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 14, 2008 · 22:47 local
Place
Shafter, CA
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
YL7G
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N1390X
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX08CA229
Reported as
Bell 47G3B1
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
11,000 total11,000 in this make and model110 in the last 90 days
N1390XRegistered now · Bell 47G-3B-1S/N 6586Airframe modelBell 47G-3B-1Engine modelLycoming TVO-435-GIATurbo-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) During agricultural operathions N1390XP was attempting to spray a field at night, when the aircraft suffered an electrical failure, causing the floodlight to stop working. Theaircraft was diving down towards the aa field when this occurred. The pilot lost control of the aircraft causing it to crash land in a nose low attitude causing the skids to dug into the aa field sending the aircraft in a forward uncontrollable pitch. The aircraft rolled forweard separating the skid type gear and main rotor gearbox. The pilot stated that he had noted that the voltage indicator was constantly alternating between 0 and 24 volts, but continued flight operations for several more flights during that night. The pilot also stated the alternator had received some work on 4-5 days before the accident. The pilot used the starndar 250 w aircraft lighting system for takeoff but once at the field he would then light the area with 600 w floodlights. It is at this time the the electrical system failed and caused a black out situation that led to the accident. The pilot, the only occupant of this aircraft was not injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING AGRICULTURAL OPERATHIONS N1390XP WAS ATTEMPTING TO SPRAY A FIELD AT NIGHT, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE, CAUSING THE FLOODLIGHT TO STOP WORKING. THEAIRCRAFT WAS DIVING DOWN TOWARDS THE AA FIELD WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING IT TO CRASH LAND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE CAUSING THE SKIDS TO DUG INTO THE AA FIELD SENDING THE AIRCRAFT IN A FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLE PITCH. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED FORWEARD SEPARATING THE SKID TYPE GEAR AND MAIN ROTOR GEARBOX. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NOTED THAT THE VOLTAGE INDICATOR WAS CONSTANTLY ALTERNATING BETWEEN 0 AND 24 VOLTS, BUT CONTINUED FLIGHT OPERATIONS FOR SEVERAL MORE FLIGHTS DURING THAT NIGHT. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THE ALTERNATOR HAD RECEIVED SOME WORK ON 4-5 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT USED THE STARNDAR 250 W AIRCRAFT LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR TAKEOFF BUT ONCE AT THE FIELD HE WOULD THEN LIGHT THE AREA WITH 600 W FLOODLIGHTS. IT IS AT THIS TIME THE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND CAUSED A BLACK OUT SITUATION THAT LED TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT, THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THIS AIRCRAFT WAS NOT INJURED.

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 LAX08CA229Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportShafter, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude while maneuvering. Contributing factors were the failure of the helicopter's lights during the night flight and the effect of that failure on the pilot's visual perception.Jul 15, 2008 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1390X · 1

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

Accident 19900521016869ALow Level Operations · Lake Wales, FLOn a spray pass during turn near power pole, the right boom contacted trees, main rotor blades hit pole. CrashedMay 21, 1990 · Destroyed