Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gonzales, California 93926
Saturday, October 31, 1992 7:10 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND PILOT/OBSERVER COMPLETED A SPRAYING OPERATION AND LANDED THE HELICOPTER IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT THEN DECIDED TO BACK UP. WHEN BACKING UP THE HELICOPTER STRUCK SOME WIRES AND CRASHED. THE PILOT REPORTED EXPERIENCING CYCLIC CONTROL PROBLEMS. THE POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE PILOT OBSERVER DID NOT REPORT ANY FLIGHT CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE WIRES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/31/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 710
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City GONZALES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93926
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
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 Dawn
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 135
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2991
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 31 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47837
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N919SF
NTSB Number LAX93LA021
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 47G2
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G2
Aircraft Serial Number 1695
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 30 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GOMES FARM AIR SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 868
Aircraft Owner City CASTROVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95012
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GOMES FARM AIR SERVICE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 868
Operator City CASTROVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95012
Operator Code LSJG
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 709
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --