- Date
- August 1, 1984, 05:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Winterhaven, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4099GBell 47G-5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840801036639A
- Case key
- 24359
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 acft collided with the ground during a takeoff attempt. According to the plt, after the acft was loaded with 60 gallons of pesticide a takeoff was begun. The acft became airborne and traveled about 300 ft when the plt inadvertantly allowed the rotor RPM to decay and the acft descended. Prior to impact the plt tried to regain RPM but was unable to before the left skid dug into the soft soil the acft pitched forward and came to rest upright.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4099G
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-5A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7909
- Airframe hours
- 3,455
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-B1A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Rio Verde Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 7, 1984 · 67 hours before
- Departed
- Winterhaven, AZ
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,770 total · 650 in this make and model · 9,150 as pilot in command · 183 in the last 90 days · 112 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N4099G · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.