- Date
- July 3, 1992, 21:14 local (Jul 4, 1992, 04:14 UTC)
- Place
- Mesa, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N4798RBell 47G5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920703026479A
- Case key
- 27674
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
A partial loss of engine power due to unknown reason (s). Factors in this accident were 1) low altitude when the partial loss of power occurred 2) low rotor RPM as a result of the loss of power, and 3) the pilot not being able to take remedial action due to the low altitude and rotor RPM.
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
According to a witness, the pilot was performing a takeoff after the helicopter had been loaded with about 60 gallons of insecticide. The helicopter attained an altitude of about 50 to 60 feet above the ground when the witness observed the tail rotor move laterally about 4 to 5 feet. The witness said he saw the aircraft settle to the ground and land hard. He said he immediately asked the pilot what happened. The pilot reportedly told the witness that he had a 'power droop.' The cause of the partial loss of power was not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4798R
- Reported as
- Bell 47G5
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 7925
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-B1A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Red Mountain Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Jack Sinton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- NONE
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point -0 °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 N4798R · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.