- Date
- August 16, 2005, 15:16 local (20:16 UTC)
- Place
- Monette, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8494EBell 47
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- LIT FSDO
- Case key
- 62422
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 loss of control as result of a loss of hydraulic pressure for undetermined reasons.
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 22,000-hour commercial pilot was in a two-foot hover when there was an indication of a hydraulic failure. Control of the helicopter became increasingly difficult and the pilot made an emergency landing. The helicopter landed hard, which resulted in the failure of a landing gear skid, main rotor blade strikes and a post-impact fire. Due to the post-impact fire, the reason for the reported hydraulic failure could not be determined.
Factual narrative
On August 16, 2005, approximately 1516 central daylight time, a single-engine Bell 47 helicopter, N8494E, was destroyed when it made an emergency landing near Monette, Arkansas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, was not injured. The helicopter was owned and operated by Craft Flying Service, Inc., of Weiner, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 agricultural flight.
The 22,000-hour pilot reported that the helicopter was in "hover mode" when there was an indication of a hydraulic failure. Controlling the helicopter became increasingly difficult and he attempted to make an emergency landing, which resulted in the failure of a landing gear skid. Subsequently, the main rotor blade collided with the ground. A post-impact fire ensued which destroyed the helicopter.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, stated that the "helicopter lifted off the ground 2 feet, settled back down," and then "caught on fire and burned."
Weather reported at the Jonesboro Municipal Airport (JBR) at 1453 reported wind from 220 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 90 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 72 degrees Fahrenheit and a barometric pressure setting of 30.01 inches of Mercury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8494E
- Reported as
- Bell 47
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2716
- Engine
- Lycoming TVO-435-A1A, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Craft Flying Service Inc., doing business as Application
- Registered owner
- Craft Flying Service In.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Monette, AR
- Destination
- Monette, AR
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 22,000 total · 700 in this make and model · 21,500 as pilot in command · 400 in the last 90 days · 157 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- JBR
Other investigations on N8494E · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.