- Date
- October 18, 2019, 07:42 local (14:42 UTC)
- Place
- King City, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7060JBell 47G
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 100451
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 a proper descent rate, which resulted in a hard landing and the main rotor blades striking the tailboom.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter pilot reported that, while conducting an agricultural application flight, he planned to fly over the top of a power pole. He applied full-up collective to climb over the pole, but the helicopter struggled to gain altitude. He added that, after the helicopter cleared the pole, the main rotor speed reduced and the helicopter "quit flying," so he decided to conduct a run-on landing on the field. The helicopter landed hard, and the main rotor blades struck the tailboom. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that, while conducting an agricultural application flight, he planned to fly over the top of the power pole. He applied full up collective to climb over the power lines, but the helicopter struggled to gain altitude. After clearing the pole, the main rotor speed got slow, the helicopter "quit flying", and he decided to conduct a run on landing on the field. The helicopter landed hard and the main rotor blades struck the tailboom. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7060J
- Reported as
- Bell 47G (5)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 25017
- Built
- 1970
- Airframe hours
- 9,836
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-B1A, 265 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Wilbur-Ellis Co
- Registered owner
- Wilbur-Ellis Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 2, 2019
- Departed
- King City, CA
- Destination
- King City, CA
- Airport
- KIC · Mesa Del Rey
- Equipment
- None
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
- 65
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 11, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 25,000 total · 10,000 in this make and model · 25,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KSNS, 37 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.
Other investigations on N7060J · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.