- Date
- September 26, 1991, 16:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- Pearsall, TX
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N59424Bell 47G-5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910926063239A
- Case key
- 23402
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 adequate visual lookout for obstacles during operations from a remote site.
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
Pilot was on a power line patrol flight and had landed in an area near a road to refuel from the operator's truck prior to the last leg of the day. During the initial climb after takeoff, the skids struck power lines he had not observed during the approach or takeoff. Following the wire strike the aircraft nosed over, impacted the ground, and was destroyed during a post-crash fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59424
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-5A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 25143
- Airframe hours
- 5,957
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-B1A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Tiller Helicopter Service, Inc
- Registered owner
- Tiller Helicopter Service, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 23, 1991 · 78 hours before
- Destination
- NONE · Alice, TX
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
- 45
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,119 total · 50 in this make and model · 1,057 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 335° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point -0 °F
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 N59424 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.