Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenfield, California 93927
Saturday, March 20, 1993 6:47 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING UNDER A DIAGONAL SET OF POWERLINES IN THE NORTH EAST CORNER OF THE FIELD HE WAS SPRAYING. HE REPORTED THAT AFTER CLEARING THE DIAGONAL SET AT THE FIELD BOUNDARY HE PULLED UP TO AVOID ANOTHER SET OF LINES; HOWEVER, HE FAILED TO CLEAR THE UPPERMOST WIRE. AFTER COLLIDING WITH THE WIRE, THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE POWER LINES WHILE PERFORMING AN AERIAL APPLICATION RUN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/20/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 647
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City GREENFIELD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93927
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 5
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 1
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 399
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 20 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51216
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7080J
NTSB Number LAX93LA157
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 47G5
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G5
Aircraft Serial Number 25026
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 19 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 16021
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOILSERV, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 3650
Aircraft Owner City SALINAS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93912
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOILSERV, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 3650
Operator City SALINAS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93912
Operator Code LSHG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KIC
Departure City KING CITY
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 620
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KIC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --