- Date
- February 18, 2014, 08:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Greenfield, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N715BHBell 47G 5A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of visual reference
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminstration
- FAA report
- 20140218002909A
- Case key
- 88809
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 power pole during low-altitude maneuvering flight.
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
During the 2 hours leading up to the accident, the pilot of the agriculture and pest control category helicopter had sprayed about 40 acres of crops, having refueled once. He stated that during the last pass of his current field he misjudged the distance between the main rotor blades and a power pole. The main rotor blades struck the pole, and the pilot performed a forced landing into the field. During the landing, the helicopter rolled over, sustaining substantial damage to the firewall, tailboom, and cabin structure. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation, and further stated that the accident could have been avoided if he had flown over the pole rather than attempting to fly around it.
Factual narrative
During the 2 hours leading up to the accident, the pilot of the agriculture and pest control category helicopter had sprayed about 40 acres of crops, having refueled once. He stated that during the last pass of his current field he misjudged the distance between the main rotor blades and a power pole. The main rotor blades struck the pole, and the pilot performed a forced landing into the field. During the landing, the helicopter rolled over, sustaining substantial damage to the firewall, tailboom, and cabin structure. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation, and further stated that the accident could have been avoided if he had flown over the pole rather than attempting to fly around it.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N715BH
- Reported as
- Bell 47G 5A (5A)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 25105
- Built
- 1973
- Airframe hours
- 9,400
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-B1A, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Wilbur-Ellis Co
- Registered owner
- Wilbur-Ellis Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 15, 2013 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- KIC · King City, CA
- Destination
- Greenfield, CA
- Airport
- KIC · King City
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
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 768 total · 411 in this make and model · 685 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- SNS, 35 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 10, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.5 MB 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.