- Date
- August 23, 2006, 08:35 local (13:35 UTC)
- Place
- Sanborn, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2251WBell 47G-5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 64529
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 lines during the aerial application flight. The power lines were a factor.
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 impacted power lines and the ground during an aerial application flight. The pilot reported that he was spraying ditches and his attention was diverted momentarily to the brush that he was spraying. He stated that he was complacent with regard to the wires at the roadside and that when he saw them he lowered the collective in an attempt to fly beneath the wires. He stated that the helicopter struck the power lines and then subsequently hit the ground.
Factual narrative
The helicopter impacted power lines and the ground during an aerial application flight. The pilot reported that he was spraying ditches and his attention was diverted momentarily to the brush that he was spraying. He stated that he was complacent with regard to the wires at the roadside and that when he saw them he lowered the collective in an attempt to fly beneath the wires. He stated that the helicopter struck the power lines and then subsequently hit the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2251W
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-5
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7965
- Engine
- Allison C18 250, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Larson Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2006
- Departed
- Sanborn, ND
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2006
- Flight hours
- 4,100 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 110 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Other investigations on N2251W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.