Summary
On July 15, 2008, a Bell 47G-3B-1 (N1390X) was involved in an incident near Shafter, CA. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude while maneuvering. Contributing factors were the failure of the helicopter's lights during the night flight and the effect of that failure on the pilot's visual perception.
The pilot reported that a few minutes after taking off for a nighttime agricultural spray flight over an alfalfa field, the ground illumination lights in his helicopter went out. At the time, he was descending and maneuvering close to the ground. The pilot reported that he did not see the field before impacting it with the spray boom. The helicopter rolled over and was substantially damaged.
This incident is documented in NTSB report LAX08CA229. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N1390X.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude while maneuvering. Contributing factors were the failure of the helicopter's lights during the night flight and the effect of that failure on the pilot's visual perception.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that a few minutes after taking off for a nighttime agricultural spray flight over an alfalfa field, the ground illumination lights in his helicopter went out. At the time, he was descending and maneuvering close to the ground. The pilot reported that he did not see the field before impacting it with the spray boom. The helicopter rolled over and was substantially damaged.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX08CA229