- Date
- September 10, 2005, 16:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Swifton, AR
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N862ZBell 47G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Case key
- 62441
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 with the power lines. A contributing factor was sun glare.
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 160-hour student pilot struck 4 electrical transmission lines while flying west bound at a low altitude. He stated in the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that he was headed west into the afternoon sun and did not see the power lines located along a gravel road with a tree line running north and south. The helicopter impacted the ground approximately 140 feet after contacting the wires, rolled and came to rest approximately 300 feet from the initial point of contact. The pilot unfastened his seat belt and egressed without difficulty. His passenger had problems unfastening his seatbelt and the pilot returned to the helicopter to assist the trapped passenger. Weather at the time of the accident was reported as scattered clouds at 5,500 feet, winds from 130 degrees at 5 knots, temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter 30.05 inches of Mercury.
Factual narrative
This report is based on information received by the NTSB. Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. For further information, please contact the NTSB Office of Public Inquiries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N862Z
- Reported as
- Bell 47G
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- C-5002
- Airframe hours
- 3,029.5
- Engine
- Franklin 0-335-50, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sissom and Woods Farms, Inc, doing business as Sissom and Woods Farms, Inc
- Registered owner
- Sisson and Wood Farms, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2005 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- ARG · Walnut Ridge Re, 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 16
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 157 total · 107 in this make and model · 113 as pilot in command · 72 in the last 90 days · 37 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KJBR
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2005, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 665 KB in all.