- Date
- June 5, 2009, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- San Marcos, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8420EBell 47G
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 10, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA San Antonio FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090605009629A
- Case key
- 73971
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 clearance from power lines.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The commercial pilot said that he was landing the agricultural helicopter at the edge of a large field to pick up communications radios from his ground crew. During his landing approach under power lines, he saw a vehicle approaching that he had not seen before. The pilot said that he then raised the helicopter to allow the vehicle to pass underneath. The tail rotor blades then struck a wire at about 20 feet above the ground and the helicopter began to spin. The pilot said that he lost control and the helicopter struck the surface of the field and rolled on its side. There was no postcrash fire, but the helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot was seriously injured.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot said he was landing the agricultural helicopter at the edge of a large open bean field to pick up communications radios from his ground crew. During his landing approach under power lines he said he saw a vehicle approaching that he had not seen before. The pilot said he then raised the helicopter to allow the vehicle to pass underneath. The tail rotor blades then struck a wire at about 20 feet above the ground and the helicopter began to spin. The pilot said he lost control and the helicopter struck the surface of the bean field and rolled on its side. There was no post crash fire, but the helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot was seriously injured and was airlifted by HEMS helicopter to a nearby hospital.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8420E
- Reported as
- Bell 47G (2)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2558
- Airframe hours
- 10,045
- Engine
- Lycoming VO435, 280 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Continental Helicopter Services Inc
- Registered owner
- Barton Clyde E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 19, 2008 · 35 hours before
- Departed
- KHYI · San Marcos, TX
- Destination
- KHYI · San Marcos, TX
- Airport
- KHYI · San Marcos Municipal Airport
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 29, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 16,435 total · 99 in this make and model · 16,435 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KHYI, 2 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 14, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 MB 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.