- Date
- May 21, 1993, 17:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Berlin, WI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8458EBell 47
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930521014719A
- Case key
- 15722
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-in-command's failure to see the obstruction.
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
Approaching an irrigation pump, the pilot shut off the spray and initiated a climb over the pump. The helicopter cleared the pump but struck a 2-IN square steel channel that extended above the pump. The pilot reported that he did not see the channel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8458E
- Reported as
- Bell 47
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2662
- Airframe hours
- 11,441
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Roy W. Reabe, doing business as Reabe Spraying Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Roy W. Reabe
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 1992 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- 45C
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,380 total · 3,575 in this make and model · 6,235 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OSH, 18 nm away
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 N8458E · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.