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20160608009259A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell 47G-5A · Hastings, MN · June 8, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
June 8, 2016 · 12:00 local
Place
Hastings, MN
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
CUHG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N25LB
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA16CA293
Reported as
Bell 47G-5A
Reported engine
Allison 250 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,296 total25 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days
N25LBRegistered now · Bell 47G-5AS/N 25102 · Built 1972Airframe modelBell 47G-5AEngine 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.

The pilot was performing an agriculture spraying operation and had just refueled. (Tanks half full) in addition, the pilot had onloaded approximately 80-90 gallons of checmical. The aircraft departed the platform truck in an easterly direction. As the aircraft lifted off of the 10 foot high platform , the aircraft sank as expected. The pilot reported that he expected to enter into ground effect, then lift, and climb out as he had been doing on previous flights that morning. However, this time, the aircraft sank and impacted the ground appoximately 80 feet from the platform truck. The aircraft became airborne again for approximately another 80 feet, then impacted the ground with what appeared to be the right skid, then rolled causing the main rotor to impact the ground. This caused the aircraft to roll onto it's right side with the nose pointing north for it's final resting position. The pilot noted the engine was still running and had to shut it down when the aircraft came to it's final resting position. The pilot then exited the aircraft without injury.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING AN AGRICULTURE SPRAYING OPERATION AND HAD JUST REFUELED. (TANKS HALF FULL) IN ADDITION, THE PILOT HAD ONLOADED APPROXIMATELY 80-90 GALLONS OF CHECMICAL. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE PLATFORM TRUCK IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION. AS THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF OF THE 10 FOOT HIGH PLATFORM , THE AIRCRAFT SANK AS EXPECTED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE EXPECTED TO ENTER INTO GROUND EFFECT, THEN LIFT, AND CLIMB OUT AS HE HAD BEEN DOING ON PREVIOUS FLIGHTS THAT MORNING. HOWEVER, THIS TIME, THE AIRCRAFT SANK AND IMPACTED THE GROUND APPOXIMATELY 80 FEET FROM THE PLATFORM TRUCK.THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN FOR APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 80 FEET, THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE RIGHT SKID, THEN ROLLED CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO IMPACT THE GROUND. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL ONTO IT'S RIGHT SIDE WITH THE NOSE POINTING NORTH FOR IT'S FINAL RESTING POSITION. THE PILOT NOTED THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AND HAD TO SHUT IT DOWN WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO IT'S FINAL RESTING POSITION. THE PILOT THEN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY.

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 GAA16CA293Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHastings, MNThe pilot's failure to attain a positive rate of climb during takeoff from a service truck, which resulted in an impact with terrain and substantial damage to the tail boom and fuselage.Jun 8, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N25LB · 1

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

Accident 20070824019979ANormal Cruise · Ramsey, MN(-23) During mosquito control application and enroute from aerial application area to nearby parking lot, pilot heard a loud pop then immediately lost pitch control. Pilot said engine and rotor speed sounded normal. Pilot used tail rotor only, to guide…Aug 24, 2007 · Destroyed