- Date
- September 9, 2000, 14:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Pine Hill, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2243WBell 47G-3B-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 6, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000909005949A
- Case key
- 50278
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to adequately preflight the helicopter, which resulted in his failure to remove the tie down.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, while attempting to conduct timber spraying, he neglected to untie one of the skid tie downs prior to liftoff from the trailer on which the helicopter was positioned. During the attempted takeoff, the helicopter rolled over to the right and subsequently collided with the ground.
Factual narrative
On September 9, 2000, at 1415 central daylight time, a Bell 47G-3B-2, N2243W, registered to and operated by Aerial Application Technologies, was substantially damaged when it collided with the ground during an attempted takeoff from a trailer 20 miles north of Pine Hill, Alabama. The airline transport certificated pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local aerial application flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 137. The flight was originating from Pine Hill, Alabama, at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot, while attempting to conduct timber spraying, he neglected to untie one of the skid tie downs prior to liftoff from the trailer on which the helicopter was positioned. The pilot stated that he diverted his attention away from his preflight actions to speak with the customer about the block area of timber he was to spray. When the briefing was over, he got in the helicopter, started the engine, and attempted to liftoff. The helicopter rolled over to the right and subsequently collided with the ground, substantially damaging the helicopter.
No mechanical malfunctions or failures were found during the postaccident examination of the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2243W
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 6755
- Airframe hours
- 8,373
- Engine
- Allison 250-C10D, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Aerial Application Tech.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 17, 2000 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 30,000 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 28,000 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GZH, 60 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2243W · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.