- Date
- August 25, 1993, 09:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- San Juan Bautis, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Uncontrolled descent
- Aircraft
- N9078TContinental Copters Mark 5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930825035069A
- Case key
- 28459
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 pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear the crops. The pilot's diverted attention during the aerial application flight is a factor in this accident.
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
While spraying a corn field the pilot diverted his attention and failed to maintain sufficient altitude to clear the crops. The right spray boom struck the 10-FT high corn crops and the helicopter crashed.
Factual narrative
On August 25, 1993, at 0920 hours Pacific daylight time, a Continental Copters Mark 5 Tomcat helicopter, N9078T, crashed near San Juan Bautista, California, while conducting a local visual flight rules aerial application flight. The helicopter, operated by AG Rotors, Inc., Hollister, California, was destroyed. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Hollister Airport at 0905 hours.
The pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that while spraying the right spray boom contacted the corn crops which "drug the helicopter down."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9078T
- Reported as
- Continental Copters Mark 5
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 213
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-B1A, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Ag Rotors, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Derwyn Shank
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- 3O7 · Hollister, CA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,300 total · 900 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.