- Date
- June 23, 2004, 09:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Medford, OR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N73909Bell 47G-3B-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040623012469A
- Case key
- 59499
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 clearance from a tree while maneuvering. Trees were a factor.
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 reported that while flying over mountainous terrain with a slight slope on the last pass of aerial application spraying, the helicopter struck a snag (dead tree). The engine lost power and the helicopter collided with the terrain.
Factual narrative
On June 23, 2004, about 0900 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 47G-3B-1, N73909, registered to DSM Inc., operated by Pacific Air Research as a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight, collided with trees and terrain located about 14 nautical miles southwest of Medford, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was substantially damaged by impact damage and post-crash fire. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured.
Company personnel reported that the pilot had been dispensing a herbicide in the area for about one hour and 20 minutes prior to the accident. Witnesses in the area reported that the helicopter was returning to the staging area for another load of herbicide when they heard the crash.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that while flying over mountainous terrain with a slight slope on the last pass, the helicopter struck a snag (dead tree). The engine lost power and the helicopter collided with the terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73909
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-3B-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2797
- Airframe hours
- 6,575
- Engine
- Allison C-20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Pacific Air Research
- Registered owner
- DSM Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 5, 2004 · 69 hours before
- Departed
- Medford, OR
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
- 48
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- March 10, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,435 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- MFR, 10 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 N73909 · 6
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.