- Date
- July 27, 1983, 07:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Los Banos, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9770CHiller 12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830727039709A
- Case key
- 23802
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt had dropped off a flagman in an area to be sprayed, & had just departed & obtained translational lift when the eng lost power. The acft touched down in a freshly irrigated cotton field, rolled over inverted & burst into flames. The 'b' nut which attaches the tubing to the fuel filter was found cracked & loose.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9770C
- Reported as
- Hiller 12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2160
- Airframe hours
- 8,949
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-C2A, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Bettencourt Flying Svc
- Registered owner
- Al Bettencourt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
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
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25,000 total · 3,062 in this make and model · 24,062 as pilot in command · 140 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °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 N9770C · 6
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.