- Date
- May 19, 2005, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Twin Brooks, SD
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8505FBell 47G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20050519034269A
- Case key
- 61517
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 lookout and his failure to maintain clearance with the power lines. A factor was the low altitude at which the helicopter was operating.
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 helicopter collided with power lines during an aerial application flight. The pilot reported that he saw the power lines just prior to contacting them. He stated the lines hit the bubble then they traveled over the top of the helicopter contacting the main rotor shaft. He stated the helicopter then settled in a level attitude onto the tracks. The pilot stated he was spraying for the purpose of weed control along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad when the accident occurred. The pilot stated he was about 2.75 miles into the 3 mile run when the helicopter contacted the lines. The pilot reported that he saw a pole to his left, but it was off in the distance. The pole on his right, which he did not see, was nestled in a group of trees. The pilot reported he was flying at an altitude of 15 to 20 feet above the tracks at an airspeed of 43 to 45 miles per hour. He stated the bubble was clean and the sun was to his back as he flew to the east.
Factual narrative
On May 19, 2005, at 1800 central daylight time, N8505F, a Bell 47G-3B-1, collided with power lines during an aerial application flight in Twin Brooks, South Dakota. The commercial pilot received minor injures. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The local flight originated at Summit, South Dakota, at 1630.
The pilot reported that he saw the power lines just prior to contacting them. He stated the lines hit the bubble then they traveled over the top of the helicopter contacting the main rotor shaft. He stated the helicopter then settled in a level attitude onto the tracks.
The pilot stated he was spraying for the purpose of weed control along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad when the accident occurred. The pilot stated he was about 2.75 miles into the 3 mile run when the helicopter contacted the lines. The pilot reported that he saw a pole to his left, but it was off in the distance. The pole on his right, which he did not see, was nestled in a group of trees. The pilot reported he was flying at an altitude of 15 to 20 feet above the tracks at an airspeed of 43 to 45 miles per hour. He stated the bubble was clean and the sun was to his back as he flew to the east.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8505F
- Reported as
- Bell 47G
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3379
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Dakota Helicopter, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Summit, SD
- Destination
- Milbank, SD
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
- 48
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 5,124 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 5,100 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
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 N8505F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.