- Date
- September 1, 2000, 09:35 local (14:35 UTC)
- Place
- Canton, MS
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N53SPBell 47G-3B-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000901013999A
- Case key
- 50144
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 inadequate visual lookout which resulted in the helicopter colliding with power lines, catching fire, and being consumed by fire after landing.
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 he had a wire strike which he believes led to an in-flight fire. He landed the helicopter upright and fire consumed the helicopter.
Factual narrative
On September 1, 2000, about 0935 central daylight time, a Bell 47G-3B-1, N53SP, registered to an individual, crashed while on a Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot received serious injuries. The flight originated from the local area about 0900.
The pilot stated he had a wire strike which he believes led to an in-flight fire. The helicopter was subsequently landed standing upright. By this time the helicopter was engulfed in flames. He exited the helicopter and watched it burn.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53SP
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 67-17111
- Airframe hours
- 7,792
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Valley Air, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Danny L. Turner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 2000 · 200 hours before
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
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,412 total · 1,210 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JAN, 15 nm away
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 N53SP · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.