# NTSB NYC95LA100: Bell 47G-5A, N444GW, Middleboro, MA, May 4, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 4, 1995, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC) - Place: Middleboro, MA - Location: 41.8932° N, 70.9112° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Middleboro, MA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8932&lon=-70.9112&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report November 8, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38954 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC95LA100 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38954/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=38954 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC95LA100 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a low altitude aerial application turn, which resulted in inadvertent settling with power and the subsequent collision with the terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - aerial application - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - settling with power - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - open field ## Analysis THE PILOT HAD MADE SEVERAL PREVIOUS AERIAL APPLICATION RUNS OVER A CRANBERRY BOG. AT THE END OF A SOUTHEAST RUN, THE PILOT STARTED A 'NORMAL AG TURN' TO THE RIGHT. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE TURN, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 30 TO 35 FEET, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN ABRUPT, UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TOWARD THE GROUND. THE PILOT APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH, WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE RATE OF DESCENT, AND THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE HELICOPTER ENGINE OR THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WAS DETECTED. WINDS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE FORM 220 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER APPEARED TO HOVER AT 30 TO 35 FEET, STARTED THE RIGHT TURN, THEN DESCENDED RAPIDLY TO THE GROUND. ## Factual narrative On May 4, 1995, at 1145 eastern daylight time, a Bell 47G-5A, N444GW, operated by Wiggins Airways Inc., Norwood, Massachusetts, was substantially damaged when it struck the ground while maneuvering near Middleboro, Massachusetts. The commercial rated pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight that originated at the application site. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 137. In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that he had been spraying fertilizer on a cranberry bog in the Middleboro area. He further stated: ...I had made one pass from NW to SE and started a normal AG turn. Upon completion of the Ag turn and starting the pass the helicopter began an abrupt and uncontrolled rapid descent toward the ground. I tried to slow down the descent rate by pulling in collective pitch, but was unable to stop the descent rate before making contact with the ground. Upon making contact with the ground, the main blades I believe made contact with the tail boom and then the ground flipped the helicopter up on it's side... In a telephone interview with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, and in his written report, he stated that the helicopter was on it's last application pass with less than 100 pounds of fertilizer on board. A witness reported to him that the helicopter was hovering with little forward airspeed about 30 to 35 feet above the ground. The helicopter initiated a right turn from the downwind when it descended rapidly and impacted the ground. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the fuel tanks contained about 15 to 20 gallons of fuel. No mechanical malfunction of the helicopter engine or the flight controls were detected. The United States Army Field Manual, Fundamentals of Flight, discusses a helicopter aerodynamic condition called "settling with power." The manual stated: Settling with power is a condition of powered flight where the helicopter settles in its own downwash. The condition may also be referred to as the vortex ring state. Conditions conducive to settling with power are a vertical or near-vertical descent of at least 300 feet per minute and low forward speed. The rotor system must also be using some of the available engine power (from 20 to 100 percent) with insufficient power available to retard the sink rate. These conditions occur during approaches with a tail wind or during formation approaches when some aircraft are flying in turbulence from other aircraft... The winds at the accident site were reported to be from 220 degrees at 12 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N444GW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N444GW-2013-06-18), registration cancelled 2013-06-18, S/N 25145, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 47G-5A - Registry model: [Bell 47G-5A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-5a) (registry code 1181034) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming VO-435 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-435-series) (registry code 41525, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 25145 - Airframe hours: 2526 - Engines: LYCOMING VO-435-B1A1 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Wiggins Airways, Inc. - Registered owner: Piper East Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 1995, 5 hours before - Departed: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; commercial; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 3,894 total, 2,340 in this make and model, 3,844 as pilot in command, 37 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 12 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950504009229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950504009229A), May 4, 1995: Bell 47G5A, Middleboro, MA, Substantial damage. Abrupt descent to ground during turn around from practice spray run. Impacted. No anomalies. Settling with power. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 30, 1995, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=38954. 641 KB in all. - Supplement H (item 1, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40033658&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20H-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 423 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413135&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Telephone Memorandum with FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413136&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Telephone%20Memorandum%20with%20FAA%20Inspector-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Report (item 4, .PDF, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413137&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Report-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.