20140703010129A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-3B-2 · Gaston, OR · July 3, 2014

Date: July 3, 2014 · 08:05 local
Place: Gaston, OR
Airport: N/A
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: GEVG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N684PC
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR14CA280
Reported as: Bell 47G-3B-2
Reported engine: Allison 250 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 961 total127 in this make and model104 in the last 90 days

N684PCRegistration cancelled Apr 19, 2018 · Bell 47G-3B-2S/N 6744 Airframe modelBell 47G-3B-2 Engine modelAllison 250 seriesTurbo-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.

After lifting off, spray bucket's RH hydraulic hose snagged the RH fwd skid at about 5 ft off ground. Helicopter attitude shifted fwd and helicopter moved fwd over bucket. Pilot increased lift and power but was at max aft cyclic and could not stop fwd momentum. With weight of bucket on RH had fwd skid the CG was out of cyclic controlable aft limit. Aircraft drifted to the right of service truck and pilot attempted to release load. No help as he missed switchs or because the hose was caught on skid not on hook. Pilot attempted to land on skids but hit hard on LH fwd skid (only) in a down attitude which caused the LH fwd skid to breakoff. Helicoptor rolled onto its LH side with rotors turning, rotors struck a concrete barrier. Helicopter came to rest against the concrete block on its side perpendicular to is flight path. Fuel tanks ruptured. No fire. Pilot was able to get out with help of ground crew. Minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

AFTER LIFTING OFF, SPRAY BUCKET'S RH HYDRAULIC HOSE SNAGGED THE RH FWD SKID AT ABOUT 5 FT OFF GROUND. HELICOPTER ATTITUDE SHIFTED FWD AND HELICOPTER MOVED FWD OVER BUCKET. PILOT INCREASED LIFT AND POWER BUT WAS AT MAX AFT CYCLIC AND COULD NOT STOP FWD MOMENTUM. WITH WEIGHT OF BUCKET ON RH HAD FWD SKID THE CG WAS OUT OF CYCLIC CONTROLABLE AFT LIMIT. AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT OF SERVICE TRUCK AND PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE LOAD. NO HELP AS HE MISSED SWITCHS OR BECAUSE THE HOSE WAS CAUGHT ON SKID NOT ON HOOK. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON SKIDS BUT HIT HARD ON LH FWD SKID (ONLY) IN A DOWN ATTITUDE WHICH CAUSED THE LH FWD SKID TO BREAKOFF. HELICOPTOR ROLLED ONTO ITS LH SIDE WITH ROTORS TURNING, ROTORS STRUCK A CONCRETE BARRIER. HELICOPTER CAME TO REST AGAINST THE CONCRETE BLOCK ON ITS SIDE PERPENDICULAR TO IS FLIGHT PATH. FUEL TANKS RUPTURED. NO FIRE. PILOT WAS ABLE TO GET OUT WITH HELP OF GROUND CREW. MINOR INJURIES.

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 WPR14CA280Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportGaston, ORThe pilot's inability to maintain control of the helicopter as a result of a hydraulic hose becoming entangled around the right skid.Jul 3, 2014 · Substantial damage