- Date
- December 7, 1992, 13:58 local (18:58 UTC)
- Place
- Belle Glade, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7925JBell 47-G5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921207056359A
- Case key
- 33203
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The improper in flight decision of the pilot in command to attempt an agricultural turn with insufficient altitude to accomplish the maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's overconfidence in his abilities.
Analysis
The pilot of the helicopter was hovering fast across the airport to reposition the helicopter when he attempted a simulated agricultural turn at hover altitude. The left spray boom and the tail rotor blades contacted the ground and the helicopter began to spin. The pilot reduced throttle and a hard landing occurred.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7925J
- Reported as
- Bell 47-G5A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 25041
- Airframe hours
- 4,478
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-B1A, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Air Crop Care Inc.
- Registered owner
- Air Crop Care Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 30, 1992 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- X10
- Airport
- X10 · Belle Glade
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 150 in this make and model · 150 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI, 21 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 N7925J · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.