# NTSB LAX00LA280: Bell 47G-5, N7885S, King City, CA, July 28, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 28, 2000, 05:40 local (12:40 UTC) - Place: King City, CA - Coordinates: 36.200958, -120.939941 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2010&lon=-120.9399&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 1, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49846 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX00LA280 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49846/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA280 ## Probable cause The pilot's intentional flight into adverse weather which resulted in loss of visual reference and flight into power transmission wires and terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - wire,transmission - flight into adverse weather - intentional, pilot in command (cause) - vfr flight into imc - encountered - descent - intentional, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - open field ## Analysis The pilot of the agricultural application helicopter took off at dawn and was en route to the spraying location beneath a 300-foot overcast cloud ceiling with 1/4 to 1/2-mile flight visibility. The helicopter flew into a fog bank and the pilot lost visual contact with the ground. He lowered the collective control and descended toward the ground to regain visual reference; however, the tail rotor contacted power transmission wires before he regained visual contact. He then lowered the collective further and reduced engine power to regain directional control and the helicopter made a hard impact with the ground in an upright attitude. ## Factual narrative On July 28, 2000, at 0540 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 47G-5 helicopter, N7885S, was substantially damaged by impact with high-tension electrical power transmission wires and subsequent impact with terrain, 1/4 mile west of King City, California. The commercial pilot was not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the agricultural application flight, which was operated under 14 CFR Part 137 by Soilserv, Incorporated. The helicopter departed from the Mesa Del Rey airport, King City, at 0535 The pilot reported that he did not obtain a preflight weather briefing. He had taken off at dawn and was en route to the spraying location beneath a 300-foot solid overcast with 1/4 to 1/2-mile visibility. He flew into a fog bank and lost visual contact with the ground. He lowered the collective control and descended toward the ground to regain visual reference; however, the tail rotor contacted the power lines before he regained visual contact. He then lowered the collective further and reduced engine power to regain directional control and the aircraft impacted the ground in an upright attitude. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7885S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7885S), registered now, S/N 7873, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 47G-5 - Registry model: [Bell 47G-5](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-5) (registry code 1181032) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming VO-435 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-435-series) (registry code 41525, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 7873 - Airframe hours: 5116 - Engines: Lycoming VO-435-B1A 265 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Soilserv, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 17, 2000, 22 hours before - Departed: KIC ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 4,030 total, 1,225 in this make and model, 3,975 as pilot in command, 115 in the last 90 days, 85 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Dawn - Wind: 260° at 8 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 400 ft overcast - Temperature: 126 °F, dew point 122 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SNS, 30 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000728040429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000728040429A), Jul 28, 2000: Bell 47G5, King City, CA, No damage. (-23) Pilot took off at 0540 am, during darkness and in foggy conditions. Flew .8 miles and was attempting to cross power lines. Crossed one set of wires and… ## Other investigations on N7885S (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX96LA287](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA287), Jul 23, 1996: Bell 47-G5 (N7885S), Lost Hills, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: improper installation of the carburetor air box. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.