- Date
- July 11, 2007, 13:12 local (18:12 UTC)
- Place
- Mercedes, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7878Bell 47G-2A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- San Angelo, Texas
- FAA report
- 20070711015999A
- Case key
- 66191
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 transmission line.
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 single-engine helicopter collided with a power line during an aerial application flight. The 9,212-hour commercial pilot lost control of the helicopter following the collision and the airplane impacted the ground. The pilot, who sustained minor injuries, was able to egress the helicopter unassisted. The pilot reported that prior to the collision with the power line, the reciprocating engine helicopter was operating normally, and added that he never saw the power line during the flight prior to impact.
Factual narrative
The single-engine helicopter collided with a power line during an aerial application flight. The 9,212-hour commercial pilot lost control of the helicopter following the collision and the airplane impacted the ground. The pilot, who sustained minor injuries, was able to egress the helicopter unassisted. The pilot reported that prior to the collision with the power line, the reciprocating engine helicopter was operating normally, and added that he never saw the power line during the flight prior to impact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7878
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2707
- Airframe hours
- 12,382
- Engine
- Lycoming VO435AIF, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Hendrickson Flying Service, doing business as Aerial Application
- Registered owner
- Hendrickson Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- T65 · Weslaco, TX
- Airport
- T65 · Mid Valley, runway 13, 4,998 × 70 ft, asphalt
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
- 67
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,212 total · 8,500 in this make and model · 9,000 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 5, 2008, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.