- Date
- July 29, 1998, 18:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Monticello, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1016ABell 47-D1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980729023559A
- Case key
- 43529
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 control of the helicopter while maneuvering resulting in the main rotor blades striking the ground.
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 maneuvering during an aerial application, the pilot said that he was attempting to clear some power lines when he reported that the engine lost power and the rotor rpm dropped, resulting in a loss of control. The helicopter struck the ground sideways, and rolled over, causing the main rotor blades to strike the ground. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA revealed that fuel was present. The FAA inspector said, '...when he [pilot] attempted to climb over the powerlines to his left, he seemed have lost power and the aircraft came back down on [the] right side and [the] blade struck the ground and he crashed. According to the FAA inspector's report the pilot lost control of the helicopter, and no discrepancies could be found with the airframe or the engine. The pilot did not return the NTSB Form 6120.1/2. His factual account of the accident are not known.
Factual narrative
On July 29, 1998, about 1845 central daylight time, a Bell 47-D1 helicopter, N1016A, registered to a private individual, crashed near Monticello, Mississippi, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from an industrial park the same day, at 1800.
While maneuvering during an aerial application, the pilot said that he was attempting to clear some power lines when he reported that the engine lost power and the rotor rpm dropped, resulting in a loss of control. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA revealed that fuel was present. No discrepancies were found with the flight controls.
According to the FAA inspector's statement, "...when he [pilot] attempted to climb over the powerlines to his left, he seemed to have lost power and the aircraft came back down on [the] right side and [the] blade struck the ground and he crashed. According to the FAA inspector's report the pilot lost control of the helicopter, and no discrepancies were found with the airframe or the engine.
The pilot did not return the NTSB Form 6120.1/2. His factual account of the accident is not known.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1016A
- Reported as
- Bell 47-D1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 51-638
- Airframe hours
- 1,400
- Engine
- Franklin 6V4, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Paul M. Trost, doing business as Sky Tractor Inc.
- Registered owner
- Alan Robinson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 170 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MCB, 7 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.