20080814844439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-3B · Kenyon, MN · August 14, 2008

Date: August 14, 2008 · 10:45 local
Place: Kenyon, MN
Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: CUHG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N47AH
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI08CA254
Reported as: Bell 47G3B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,800 total3,000 in this make and model180 in the last 90 days

N47AHRegistered now · Bell 47G-3BS/N 2645 · Built 1961 Airframe modelBell 47G-3B Engine 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) Pilot was performing aerial pesticide application in a Bell 47. He was about to begin his 8th field that day. The helicopter was positioned on a flatbed truck where approximately 70 gal of "sniper" pesticide was loaded. The pilot recalled the winds were "calm to light, from the north". Looking back, he mentioned that there was a dramatic rise in humidity before his takeoff. He felt it was a normal takeoff and soon noted that his rotor RPM began to decay and the helicopter began to settle. As the helicopter settled, it had about 10-15 KTS of forward airspeed and nosed over due to contacting tall soybean crop. The pilot secured the helicopter, exited, and notified the minneapolis flight standards district office. The pilot stated that the nr speed began to bleed which caused a loss of control of the helicopter. He felt this was caused by the heat and humidity, possible pollen contamination of the rotor blades, and that he exceeded the performance capabilities of the helicopter.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS PERFORMING AERIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATION IN A BELL 47. HE WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN HIS 8TH FIELD THAT DAY. THE HELICOPTER WAS POSITIONED ON A FLATBED TRUCK WHERE APPROXIMATELY 70 GAL OF "SNIPER" PESTICIDE WAS LOADED. THE PILOT RECALLED THE WINDS WERE "CALM TO LIGHT, FROM THE NORTH". LOOKING BACK, HE MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A DRAMATIC RISE IN HUMIDITY BEFORE HIS TAKEOFF. HE FELT IT WAS A NORMAL TAKEOFF AND SOON NOTED THAT HIS ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SETTLE. AS THE HELICOPTER SETTLED, IT HAD ABOUT 10-15 KTS OF FORWARD AIRSPEED AND NOSED OVER DUE TO CONTACTING TALL SOYBEAN CROP. THE PILOT SECURED THE HELICOPTER, EXITED, AND NOTIFIED THE MINNEAPOLIS FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE NR SPEED BEGAN TO BLEED WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. HE FELT THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY, POSSIBLE POLLEN CONTAMINATION OF THE ROTOR BLADES, AND THAT HE EXCEEDED THE PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF THE HELICOPTER.

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 CHI08CA254Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportKenyon, MNThe pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in the helicopter settling with power.Aug 14, 2008 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N47AH · 2

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

Accident 20170724020609AManeuver · Toeterville, IAWhile performing agricultural spray operations five miles west of stacyville, IA. The pilot failed to maintain sufficient rotor prm to arrest his descent from a 180 turn maneuver at the end of the field. As he re-entered the field, the pilot used the…Jul 24, 2017 · Substantial damage Accident 19971018047319AWinston, MT(-16) On October 18, 1997, at approximately 2130 MST, Bell helicopter N47AH, while on a routine flight, the pilot reported that the aircraft yawed slightly, then the engine lost all power. The pilot autorotated to the ground and landed in a field with a light…Oct 18, 1997 · Substantial damage