20160429005499A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-5 · San Ardo, CA · April 29, 2016

Date: April 29, 2016 · 07:25 local
Place: San Ardo, CA
Airport: Mesa Del Rey
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: LSHG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6288N
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR16LA099
Reported as: Bell 47G-5
Reported engine: Lycoming VO-435 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,500 total5,000 in this make and model300 in the last 90 days

N6288NRegistered now · Bell 47G-5S/N 7888 · Built 1968 Airframe modelBell 47G-5 Engine 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.

On April 29, 2016, near San Ardo, CA, N6288N, a Bell 47G-5, spraying a field with pesticide, entered a left turn and leveled off. The aircraft started shaking after the pilot heard a loud bang. Pilot reported that the aircraft then became hard to control laterally and tried to land. The aircraft rolled on its side and the tail hit a berm.

As the FAA filed it

ON APRIL 29, 2016, NEAR SAN ARDO, CA, N6288N, A BELL 47G-5, SPRAYING A FIELD WITH PESTICIDE, ENTERED A LEFT TURN AND LEVELED OFF. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED SHAKING AFTER THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG. PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT THEN BECAME HARD TO CONTROL LATERALLY AND TRIED TO LAND. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED ON ITS SIDE AND THE TAIL HIT A BERM.

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 WPR16LA099Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportSan Ardo, CAThe failure of the pin in the outboard end of the lateral flight control torque tube.Apr 29, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6288N · 1

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

Accident 19870628027489APwr Off Run Land (Autorotation · Salinas, CAThe engine failed from fuel exhaustion and the helicopter made a hard landing. Fuel gauge malfunction a factor.Jun 28, 1987 · Substantial damage