- Date
- July 5, 2023, 16:41 local (21:41 UTC)
- Place
- Chapman, KS · field
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N67FABell 206B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20230705011249A
- Case key
- 192545
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 the power line during an agricultural application pass.
Findings · 3
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 intended to spray a corn field and had discussed the location of power lines with his ground crew. As he approached the field, he observed power lines on 3 sides of the field in addition to a large set of power lines feeding into an adjacent substation. The pilot completed a 360° survey to identify the hazards including power lines, guy wires, and trees. During the survey, the middle of the field appeared to be clear. The pilot initiated an initial application pass and the helicopter struck a green wire, about 1/4" in diameter. The pilot’s efforts to maintain control of the helicopter were not successful, and it subsequently impacted the corn field. The helicopter came to rest on its left side with substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, main rotor blades, and flight controls. The pilot stated that there were no failures or malfunctions related to the helicopter before the impact with the power line. He also noted that the power line was green in color which was “practically invisible” with the background of the corn field.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N67FA
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 5168
- Built
- 1994
- Airframe hours
- 10,095
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20 SER, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Sf Leasing LLC, doing business as Fulks Helicopter Service
- Registered owner
- Sf Leasing LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 22, 2023 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · Junction City, KS
- Destination
- PVT · Junction City, KS
- Airport
- PVT · Smokey Valley Ag
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 3, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 5,250 total · 2,008 in this make and model · 4,656 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KFRI, 12 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KFRI 052155Z 01004KT 7SM FEW025 BKN070 27/19 A3005
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.4 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.