Summary
On June 05, 2009, a Bell 47G (N8420E) was involved in an accident near San Marcos, TX. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines.
The commercial pilot said he was landing the agricultural helicopter at the edge of a large open bean field to pick up communications radios from his ground crew. During his landing approach under power lines he said he saw a vehicle approaching that he had not seen before. The pilot said he then raised the helicopter to allow the vehicle to pass underneath. The tail rotor blades then struck a wire at about 20 feet above the ground and the helicopter began to spin. The pilot said he lost control and the helicopter struck the surface of the bean field and rolled on its side. There was no post crash fire, but the helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot was seriously injured and was airlifted by HEMS helicopter to a nearby hospital.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CEN09CA339. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8420E.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines.
Aircraft Information
Analysis
The commercial pilot said he was landing the agricultural helicopter at the edge of a large open bean field to pick up communications radios from his ground crew. During his landing approach under power lines he said he saw a vehicle approaching that he had not seen before. The pilot said he then raised the helicopter to allow the vehicle to pass underneath. The tail rotor blades then struck a wire at about 20 feet above the ground and the helicopter began to spin. The pilot said he lost control and the helicopter struck the surface of the bean field and rolled on its side. There was no post crash fire, but the helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot was seriously injured and was airlifted by HEMS helicopter to a nearby hospital.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN09CA339