N7578 – BELL 47G-2A – 2011-07-27 NTSB Accident Report

On July 27, 2011, a Bell 47G-2A (N7578) was involved in an incident near Nicolett, MN. 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 control of the helicopter while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.

The pilot reported that the helicopter gained altitude and he started a turn during a low level aerial application maneuver. The turning maneuver did not "feel right." He leveled off and stopped the turn. He lowered the collective and added full throttle. The pilot stated that the helicopter's RPMs were in the bottom of the green arc. The helicopter began losing altitude and impacted tall corn. The pilot indicated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter. The helicopter sustained substantial damage when the main rotor separated a section of its tailboom.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN11CA525. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7578.