Bell 47G-4A N1354X

Summary

On 7 March 2000 at about 18:20 local time, a Bell 47G-4A registered N1354X, operated by Inland Crop Dusters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Wasco, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 March 2000 at 18:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Wasco, California, United States

Coordinates

35.6167, -119.3500

Aircraft

Bell 47G-4A

Registration

N1354X

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Inland Crop Dusters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shafter → Wasco

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX00LA116

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat, which resulted in a loss of engine power. Factors included the ambient carburetor icing conditions and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot landed the single-engine helicopter in a muddy field after experiencing a loss of engine power while climbing through 200 feet. The pilot reported hearing and feeling a bang, then a jolt to the left, followed by a loss of engine power. The pilot landed the helicopter in a field with furrows, which forced the tail up resulting in a tail strike. After the accident, the pilot reported to the operator that he may have experienced carburetor icing. An overhaul of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented the engine's operation. According to the FAA's Carburetor Icing Probability Chart with the reported temperature and dew point, the conditions existed for "Serious Icing at Cruise Power."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.