- Date
- July 8, 2009, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Turlock, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6768DBell 47G-2
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090708013339A
- Case key
- 74231
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 rotor RPM while maneuvering at a low altitude.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while in a turn to reverse direction after completing a downwind spray run, "I noticed my RPMs getting low. As I was coming back down into the field I was rolling on throttle but could not get RPMs where I wanted them. I was hoping for the wind to help me, but there wasn't much wind at the time." The pilot stated that he pushed the cyclic forward to get airspeed, followed by pumping the collective to try to get power back. "I did this all the way until I hit the ground." The pilot reported that the helicopter impacted the ground in a flat, level attitude at about 40 miles per hour before skidding 30 feet and coming to a stop in an upright position.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while in a turn to reverse direction after completing a downwind spray run, "I noticed my RPMs getting low. As I was coming back down into the field I was rolling on throttle but could not get RPMs where I wanted them. I was hoping for the wind to help me, but there wasn't much wind at the time." The pilot stated that he pushed the cyclic forward to get airspeed, followed by pumping the collective to try to get power back. "I did this all the way until I hit the ground." The pilot reported that the helicopter impacted the ground in a flat, level attitude at about 40 miles per hour before skidding 30 feet and coming to a stop in an upright position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6768D
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2441
- Airframe hours
- 19,763
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435, 240 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Titus J. Headings
- Registered owner
- Bettencourt Flying Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 23, 2009 · 155 hours before
- Departed
- Turlock, CA
- Destination
- Turlock, CA
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
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 30, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 544 total · 344 in this make and model · 474 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 176 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 24, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 660 KB in all.
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 N6768D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.