Bell 47-D1 N4702S

Summary

On 20 August 2002 at about 15:00 local time, a Bell 47-D1 registered N4702S was involved in an accident near Union, South Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 August 2002 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Union, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

34.6864, -81.6417

Aircraft

Bell 47-D1

Registration

N4702S

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Union → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA02LA154

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter had completed an agricultural spraying flight and was in the processes of landing to refuel and re-load chemicals at a portable platform. As the helicopter approached the pad the tail rotor struck a trailer that was close to the pad, flipped forward coming to rest upside down on the other side of the trailer. The pilot had stated that he had no mechanical difficulties before the crash, and that everything was operating "normally." At the time of the accident there was about a 5 to 7 knot crosswind. The pilot was given an NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report Form 6120.1/2, by the FAA inspector, but a completed form was not received.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.