N1016A

On July 29, 1998, about 1845 central daylight time, a Bell 47-D1 helicopter, N1016A, registered to a private individual, crashed near Monticello, Mississippi, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from an industrial park the same day, at 1800.

While maneuvering during an aerial application, the pilot said that he was attempting to clear some power lines when he reported that the engine lost power and the rotor rpm dropped, resulting in a loss of control. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA revealed that fuel was present. No discrepancies were found with the flight controls.

According to the FAA inspector's statement, "...when he [pilot] attempted to climb over the powerlines to his left, he seemed to have lost power and the aircraft came back down on [the] right side and [the] blade struck the ground and he crashed. According to the FAA inspector's report the pilot lost control of the helicopter, and no discrepancies were found with the airframe or the engine.

The pilot did not return the NTSB Form 6120.1/2. His factual account of the accident is not known.