- Date
- May 2, 1994, 07:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Pleasant Grove, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N204RWBell UH-1L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940502010429A
- Case key
- 28733
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 see and avoid the power lines due to sun glare from the rising sun at dawn.
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 pilot stated that he was spraying a rice field and flying into the early morning rising sun. He reported that he did not see the power lines or poles due to the sun glare. After the collision, the pilot noted some control difficulties and attempted a run-on landing. The helicopter skids dug into the soft soil and the helicopter nosed over.
Factual narrative
On May 2, 1994, at 0715 Pacific daylight time, a Bell UH-1L helicopter, N204RW, collided with power lines while engaged in aerial application operations near Pleasant Grove, California. The helicopter was owned and operated by Bob's Flying Service of Knights Landing, California, under the provisions of 14 CFR 137 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. No flight plan was filed for the operation and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The helicopter was destroyed in the collision sequence. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated near the field to be sprayed about 0705 hours on the day of the accident.
The pilot stated that he was spraying a rice field and flying into the early morning rising sun. He reported that he did not see the power lines or poles due to the sun glare. After the collision, the pilot noted some control difficulties and attempted a run-on landing. The helicopter skids dug into the soft soil and the helicopter nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N204RW
- Reported as
- Bell UH-1L
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 154948
- Engine
- Lycoming T53-L110, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Bob'S Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Bob'S Flying Service
- 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
- 47
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 900 in this make and model · 12,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 135° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 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.