- Date
- August 22, 1989, 07:10 local (12:10 UTC)
- Place
- Rayville, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N90463Bell 47G-3B-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890822031279A
- Case key
- 22734
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient rotor RPM. A factor related to the accident was: the cotton crop.
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 plt rprtd that after loading for an aerial application flt, he 'brought the helicopter to a hover to check everything,' then contd the takeoff. He stated that after lift-off, he 'did not have sufficient power' & 'tried to regain r.p.m. but was unable.' The helicopter then moved forward into a 4' high cotton crop & touched down. The plt rprtd that during touchdown, he applied aft cyclic to keep the helicopter from rocking forward. According to him the tail rotor hit the ground, causing it to fail & damage the main rotor. An FAA investigator rprtd that the tail boom was cut off & the tail rotor blades were destroyed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90463
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 6669
- Engine
- Lycoming TVO-435-R1A, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Farmers Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Farmers Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 13, 1989 · 22 hours before
- Airport
- Ag Strip
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,179 total · 420 in this make and model · 6,800 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 190 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MLU, 14 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.