N919SF

On July 21, 1997, a Bell 47G-2 (N919SF) was involved in an incident near Buttonwillow, CA. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: Failure of the pilot to maintain adequate clearance from a utility pole (obstruction) during aerial application. The obstruction was a related factor.

On July 21, 1997, at 1025 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 47G-2, N919SF, collided with a power pole during an aerial application flight near Buttonwillow, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was destroyed in the collision sequence and postcrash fire. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The helicopter was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 137, and the flight originated from the field to be sprayed at approximately 1000.

In his written report, the pilot stated that he was spraying a cotton field that had power lines on wooden poles going through it. He stated that he was going around a pole and the main rotor blade hit the pole.

This incident is documented in NTSB report LAX97LA248. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N919SF.