Bell 47G-4 N948DS
21 August 2011 · Los Banos, California, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 21 August 2011 at about 13:55 local time, a Bell 47G-4 registered N948DS, operated by Double Springs LLC, was involved in an accident near Los Banos, California, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 13:55
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Los Banos, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Los Banos (KLSN)
- Coordinates
- 37.0581, -120.8497
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-4
- Registration
- N948DS
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Double Springs LLC
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Application
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Los Banos → Los Banos
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR11CA398
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power poles while maneuvering during low-altitude operations.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot was performing an agricultural application flight in the helicopter over a cantaloupe field. During the final pass along the field border, he observed bee boxes adjacent to power poles, and he shut off the spray applicator. After passing the boxes, he turned the spray applicator back on; his next recollection was of lying upside down in the field. Examination of the helicopter at the accident site revealed that the main rotor blades struck a set of wooden power poles at the 20-foot-level. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades and fuselage structure. The pilot reported that he had flown an application flight over the same field a week prior, and was aware of the location of the power poles. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 47 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jul 2011 | Bell 47G | Porterville, California, United States | Agra Fly | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jul 2011 | Bell 47G-5 | Watsonville, California, United States | Gomes Farm Air Service Inc | No injuries | - |
| 18 Jun 2011 | Bell 47G-4A | Montgomery City, Missouri, United States | Rhineland Grain Inc | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 2011 | Bell 47G-2A | Nicolett, Minnesota, United States | Scotts Helicopters Service Inc | No injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 2011 | Bell 47G-2 | Charles City, Iowa, United States | Scotts Helicopter Services Inc | Serious injuries | - |
| 6 Apr 2011 | Bell 47G | Torrance, California, United States | Rodriguez Danny | Minor injuries | - |
All 1,633 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Nov 2011 | Cessna 172K | Napa, California, United States | Stratus Aviation, LLC | No injuries | - |
| 26 Feb 2011 | Hiller UH-12E | Colusa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jun 2011 | Cessna 172P | Palo Alto, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Feb 2011 | Cessna A150M | Grass Valley, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Jun 2011 | Grumman G-164A | Buttonwillow, California, United States | Vince Dusters, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 26 Feb 2011 | Cessna 140A | Newark, California, United States | Morris Kenneth E | No injuries | - |