- Date
- July 31, 1995, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Montrose, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6145CBell 47G2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 16, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950731020919A
- Case key
- 3603
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 inadequate preflight planning and visual lookout.
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
The pilot stated that he was making a low level observation of the field prior to beginning spray operations. He said that he did not observe the power lines in the field, until it was too late to avoid hitting them. The helicopter struck the power lines and crashed into the field.
Factual narrative
On July 31, 1995, at 1200 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G2, N6145C was substantially damaged following a collision with electrical lines and the terrain during agricultural operations near Montrose, Georgia. The commercial pilot was not injured in the accident. The aircraft was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 137 by Heli-Copter, Incorporated of Rentz, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight. The flight departed a field near Montrose, Georgia at about 1245.
The pilot stated that he was performing a low level surveillance of the field prior to commencing spray operations. He stated that he did not see the electrical wires at the end of the field until it was too late to avoid them. The helicopter skids and spray boom contacted the wires, and the aircraft impacted the terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6145C
- Reported as
- Bell 47G2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2182
- Airframe hours
- 10,128
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-AFI, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Heli-Cropter, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 25, 1995 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · GA
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,600 total · 400 in this make and model · 1,300 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCN, 40 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 N6145C · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.