- Date
- January 3, 2013, 14:25 local (22:25 UTC)
- Place
- Five Points, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N14841Bell 47G
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 3, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130103000099A
- Case key
- 85956
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 with a telephone pole during a low-level maneuver.
Findings · 3
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, after takeoff for the aerial application flight, he made a standard turn to line up with the field to be sprayed and began to descend to fly under two sets of powerlines. He then observed a telephone pole to the right and thought he had plenty of clearance to avoid it. He then heard and felt the impact of a main rotor blade strike the pole. The helicopter yawed to the right before it impacted the ground, rolled forward, and came to rest on its left side. The helicopter was destroyed. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after take off he made a standard turn to line up with the field to be sprayed and began the descent under two sets of powerlines. He then observed a telephone pole to the right and thought he had plenty of clearance to avoid it, but then he heard and felt the impact of a main rotor blade strike the pole. The helicopter yawed to the right before it impacted the ground, rolled forward, and came to rest on its left side. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N14841
- Reported as
- Bell 47G (5A)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 25080
- Airframe hours
- 2,813
- Engine
- Lycoming VO435, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Marquis Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Green Rivers Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 28, 2012 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- Five Point, CA
- Destination
- Five Point, 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
- 50
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 2, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,423 total · 3,100 in this make and model · 4,253 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- NLC, 16 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 24, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 851 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 N14841 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.