- Date
- June 1, 2026, 16:20 local (23:20 UTC)
- Place
- Mettler, CA · Farm field near Mettler CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N88755Bell 47G-2
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20260601005489A
- Case key
- 203108
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 ensure the loading hose had been disconnected before takeoff, which resulted in an interrupted takeoff and subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the ground loader's failure to disconnect the hose before communicating with the pilot.
Findings · 4
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 landed the helicopter on an agricultural loading platform mounted on top a support truck to load spray material. After the loading operation was complete, the pilot signaled the ground crew member to stop pumping the spray material. The ground crewmember then approached the helicopter to speak with the pilot. After their brief conversation, the pilot initiated takeoff without verifying the loading hose had been disconnected from the helicopter's spray system. Upon realizing the hose remained attached, the pilot attempted to maintain a hover above the truck while the ground crewmember disconnected the hose. The ground crewmember was able to disconnect the hose; however, the pilot lost control of the helicopter, and it impacted terrain adjacent to the loading truck. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, cabin, main rotor system, and tail rotor system. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88755
- Reported as
- Bell 47G-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2252
- Built
- 1959
- Airframe hours
- 7,827.7
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Old Time Ag Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 27, 2026 · 49 hours before
- Departed
- Mettler, CA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- Farm field outside Mettler 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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 27, 2026
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 9,200 total · 200 in this make and model · 9,000 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 92 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.65 inHg
- Observed at
- BFL, 22 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KBFL 012154Z 30010KT 10SM CLR 33/07 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP104 T03280072
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 27, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.4 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.
Other investigations on N88755 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.