Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Holstein, Nebraska 68950
Sunday, July 16, 2000 9:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter impacted the terrain while maneuvering during aerial application flight. In a written statement, the pilot said, "On the third pass at the top of my turn the wind came up strongly from the E-NE and what airspeed I had at the top of the turn dissipated and became a tailwind of approx[imately] 15-20 knots. I was diving back into the field now with a tailwind, out of translational lift and ended up with what I consider to be settling with power. At my current altitude of approx[imately] 50-60 feet I did not have sufficient room to reenter translational lift and contacted the ground." A postaccident examination of the aircraft failed to reveal any anomalies that could be associated with a preexisting condition. A weather reporting station located about 17 miles and 037 degrees magnetic from the accident site reported at 0753 cdt, wind variable at 03 knots. The same reporting station reported at 0853 cdt, wind variable at 03 knots gusting to 19 knots. At 0900 cdt, the reporting station reported thunderstorms in the vicinity

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the settling with power encountered by the pilot. A factor was the sudden windshift.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/16/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOLSTEIN
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68950
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
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 1000 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 37
Weather Observation Facility ID HSI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1961
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 77
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 70
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 10533
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 16 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1235
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2001 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N83701
NTSB Number CHI00LA204
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 47G-3B-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G-3B-1
Aircraft Serial Number 3835
Certified Max Gross Weight 0
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 31 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SKY TRACTOR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1357 CAMP ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SOLOMON
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67480
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
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
Departure City CAMPBELL
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 855
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Sep 1 2001 4:00AM
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 --