- Date
- May 29, 2001, 07:18 local (11:18 UTC)
- Place
- Benton, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N25561Continental Copters Tom Cat Mark 5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-13
- FAA report
- 20010529017659A
- Case key
- 52343
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 preflight inspection, which resulted in a takeoff with a hose still attached and a subsequent dynamic rollover.
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's assistant used a hose to fill the helicopter's hopper with pesticide. The assistant and hose were located on the right side of the helicopter. The pilot boarded the helicopter from the left side, and observed that his assistant was clear from the right side, completing paperwork. The pilot then started the helicopter, not realizing the hose was still attached on the right side. During the takeoff, about 5-10 feet above the ground, the helicopter rolled right and struck the ground.
Factual narrative
On May 29, 2001, about 0718 Eastern Daylight Time, a Continental Copters Tom Cat Mark 5A (a modified Bell 47 helicopter), N25561, was substantially damaged during takeoff from a field in Benton, Pennsylvania. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local aerial application flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 137.
The pilot stated that his assistant used a hose to fill the helicopter's "hopper" with pesticide. The assistant and hose were located on the right side of the helicopter. The pilot fueled and boarded the helicopter from the left side. He then observed that his assistant was clear from the right side, completing paperwork. The pilot started the helicopter, not realizing the hose was stilled attached on the right side. When the pilot attempted to takeoff, about 5-10 feet above the ground, the helicopter rolled right and struck the ground. The main rotor, tailboom, and transmission sustained substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25561
- Reported as
- Continental Copters Tom Cat Mark 5A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- TCTWH-1
- Airframe hours
- 3,820
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 260 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Richard E. Karschner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 1, 2001 · 54.5 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Benton, PA
- Airport
- None
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- November 10, 2000
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 9,800 total · 8,550 in this make and model · 54 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- IPT, 25 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 N25561 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.