20080724850309A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-4A · Mayville, WI · July 24, 2008

Date: July 24, 2008 · 06:50 local
Place: Mayville, WI
Phase of flight: Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: PFIG
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N24HM
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI08LA211
Reported as: Bell 47G4A
Reported engine: Lycoming VO540*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 24,000 total16,000 in this make and model56 in the last 90 days

N24HMRegistration cancelled Apr 26, 2024 · Bell 47G-4AS/N 7688 · Built 1970 Airframe modelBell 47G-4A Engine modelLycoming VO-540 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) After lifting off from the chemical truck to begin spraying application, the witness on the truck stated that the aircraft was able to move forward but not gain altitude. He reported hearing a rhythmic miss coming from the engine. While setting the aircraft down in a field, the aircraft's left skid was broken. The pilot shut the aircraft down and exited. He was seen walking around the aircraft and then walking away. While walking away, he was struck in the head by a free turning rotor blade and was fatally injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER LIFTING OFF FROM THE CHEMICAL TRUCK TO BEGIN SPRAYING APPLICATION, THE WITNESS ON THE TRUCK STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD BUT NOT GAIN ALTITUDE. HE REPORTED HEARING A RHYTHMIC MISS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. WHILE SETTING THE AIRCRAFT DOWN IN A FIELD, THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT SKID WAS BROKEN. THE PILOT SHUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN AND EXITED. HE WAS SEEN WALKING AROUND THE AIRCRAFT AND THEN WALKING AWAY. WHILE WALKING AWAY, HE WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD BY A FREE TURNING ROTOR BLADE AND WAS FATALLY 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 CHI08LA211Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportMayville, WIThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the rotating rotor blades after he exited the helicopter after landing.Jul 24, 2008 · Minor damage

Other reports on N24HM · 1

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

Accident 20110618012569AFive Miles West, MOAgricultural helicopter N24HM landed on top of the service vehicle to be serviced with fuel and product by the vehicle driver. Fuel was reportedly added to 25 gallons total and the spray tanks were serviced with tank cleaner to a quantity indicating 70…Jun 18, 2011 · Substantial damage