- Date
- July 27, 2012, 07:35 local (11:35 UTC)
- Place
- Austin, IN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N652HABell 47G-2A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 26, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120727017429A
- Case key
- 84471
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 did not maintain clearance from terrain during a low-level aerial application flight and lost control of the helicopter.
Findings · 2
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 pilot was on his third aerial application pass when he momentarily glanced over at his global positioning system and the left spray boom struck the ground. The pilot said the spray boom wiggled back and forth before it folded back into the tailboom. The helicopter then began to spin to the right, and the pilot initiated an autorotation. The helicopter landed hard but remained upright. Examination of the helicopter revealed the spray boom, tail rotor, and tail rotor gear box had completely separated from the airframe. The fuselage and main rotor blades were also damaged. The operator reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot was on his third aerial application pass when he momentarily glanced over at his global positioning system (GPS) and the left spray boom struck the ground. The pilot said the spray boom wiggled back and forth before it folded back into the tail boom. The helicopter then began to spin to the right and he initiated an autorotation. The helicopter landed hard but remained upright. Examination of the helicopter revealed the spray boom, tail rotor and tail rotor gear box had completely separated from the airframe. The fuselage and main rotor blades were also damaged. The operator reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N652HA
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 52
- Airframe hours
- 20,296
- Engine
- Rolls Royce 250 C20B, 400 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Helicopter Applicators Inc
- Registered owner
- Helicopter Applicators Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 27, 2012
- Departed
- Austin, IN
- Destination
- Austin, IN
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- 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
- 36
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,590 total · 55 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- JVY, 16 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 20, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 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.