- Date
- May 21, 2002, 13:36 local (18:36 UTC)
- Place
- Marion, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N72MUBell 47G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20020521010459A
- Case key
- 54744
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 maintain visual lookout while conducting an aerial application maneuver. A factor was the transmission line.
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 spraying the edge of a lake, he lost visual contact with the nearby power line, and was unable to reacquire visual contact. The helicopter struck the power line as the pilot maneuvered the helicopter for the spray operation.
Factual narrative
On May 21, 2002, at 1336 central daylight time, a Bell 47G helicopter, N72MU, registered to Aerial Application Technologies LLC, and operated by the commercial pilot, collided with a power line while conducting an aerial application flight near the edge of a lake in Marion, Alabama. The aerial application flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 137, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot was not injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Marion, Alabama, at 1300, on May 21, 2002.
According to the pilot, while spraying the edge of a lake, he lost visual contact with the nearby power line, and was unable to reacquire visual contact. The helicopter struck the power line as the pilot maneuvered the helicopter for the spray operation. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the helicopter during the flight maneuver.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N72MU
- Reported as
- Bell 47G
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 6867
- Airframe hours
- 3,350
- Engine
- Allison T63A700, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Aerial Application Technologies LLC
- Registered owner
- Aerial Application Technologies, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2002 · 109 hours before
- Departed
- Marion, AL
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- February 2, 2002
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 29,200 total · 6,000 in this make and model · 28,875 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- BHM
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 10, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 318 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.