Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Five Points, California 93234
Wednesday, January 26, 2000 13:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot took off from a loading truck for the second time with the intention of spraying a nearby field. En route, he flew over a road and maneuvered beneath a telephone line that was suspended between 25 and 30 feet above the ground. The helicopter's tail rotor contacted the line and he lost control. The helicopter spun around and impacted the ground.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate clearance while maneuvering beneath a telephone line.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/26/2000
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City FIVE POINTS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93234
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 1
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 75
Weather Observation Facility ID NLC
Elevation of weather observation facility 234
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 957
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 26 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 2 2001 2:23PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N68024
NTSB Number LAX00LA077
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 Hiller
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12E
Aircraft Serial Number 1741
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 12 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 3080
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HURON AG HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 247
Aircraft Owner City HURON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93234
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 36610 M. STREET
Operator City HURON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93234
Operator Code JAGG
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2001 4:08AM
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 --