- Date
- March 12, 2000, 15:38 local (23:38 UTC)
- Place
- Vacaville, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9763ZBell 47G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000312006479A
- Case key
- 48807
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 see wires and maintain clearance while flying at a low altitude.
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 pilot was flying low while applying chemicals to a field. He completed spraying approximately half of the field, when he collided with wires that he did not see. He extricated himself from the helicopter, which subsequently caught fire.
Factual narrative
On March 12, 2000, about 1538 hours Pacific standard time, a Bell 47G, N9763Z, sustained substantial damage after colliding with wires while maneuvering on an aerial application flight near Vacaville, California. North Coast Helicopters, Inc., operated the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 137. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was transported to the job site on a trailer and departed to dispense chemicals about 10 minutes prior to the mishap. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot stated he was at a low altitude and completed spraying approximately half of the field. He did not see the wires prior to impact. He extricated himself from the helicopter, which subsequently caught fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9763Z
- Reported as
- Bell 47G
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 29
- Airframe hours
- 9,084
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- North Coast Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 19, 1999 · 36 hours before
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
- 36
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,450 total · 2,840 in this make and model · 3,313 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VCB, 10 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.
Other investigations on N9763Z · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.