- Date
- July 6, 2003, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Salinas, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7938JBell 47 G5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20030706018439A
- Case key
- 57407
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 failure of a piston connecting rod during an aerial application, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing.
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 commercial pilot reported he had made several passes with the helicopter during an aerial application flight. On the downwind leg of the accident approach, the engine shuttered violently, then quit. The pilot performed a run-on landing. During the landing sequence the main rotor blade made contact with the tail boom of the helicopter, severing the tail rotor gearbox. The engine of the helicopter was externally inspected, and the aft section of the engine case was ruptured. The engine was disassembled, and the number 3 piston connecting rod was discovered to be broken.
Factual narrative
On July 6, 2003, about 1030 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 47 G5, N7938J, made a forced landing following an uncontained engine failure near Salinas, California. During the forced landing, the main rotor flexed downward and severed the tail boom. Gomes Farm Air Service, Inc., was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 137. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local aerial application flight departed Salinas, about 1030. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The primary wreckage was at 36 degrees 40 minutes north latitude and 121 degrees 45 minutes west longitude.
The pilot reported he had made several passes during an aerial application flight. While on the downwind leg the engine shuttered violently then quit. The pilot performed a run-on landing. During the landing sequence the main rotor blade made contact with the tail boom of the helicopter severing the tail rotor gearbox. The engine of the helicopter was externally inspected and the aft section of the engine case was ruptured.
The pilot said that they had experienced the same type of failure 3 years ago. The engine on the accident helicopter had 623 hours since last overhaul.
The pilot/owner reported that upon examination of the engine they found brass shavings in the oil and oil filter. The # 3 piston connecting rod had broken in flight which resulted in the total loss of power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7938J
- Reported as
- Bell 47 G5
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 25043
- Airframe hours
- 4,308
- Engine
- Lycoming VO435, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Gomes Farm Air Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 21, 2003 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- SNS · Salinas, CA
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- January 11, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,120 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 150 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.