Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bixby, Oklahoma 74008
Saturday, April 14, 1990 13:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER THE AG PILOT FINISHED HIS LOAD, HE HEADED BACK TO THE TRUCK FOR HIS FINAL LOAD. AS HE PASSED UNDER A POWERLINE HE HEARD A LOUD BANG OR POP, AND THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE RIGHT. HE SAID HE HEARD THE WHEAT HITTING THE SKID BOOMS, AND THEN THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED HARD ON THE TOES OF THE SKIDS. HIS SEAT BELT FAILED AND HE WAS THROWN THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE HELICOPTER. HE SAID HE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE HELICOPTER WAS DEMOLISHED BY IMPACT AND POST-IMPACT FIRE. THE FAA INVESTIGATORS SAID THAT DUE TO THE DAMAE CAUSED BY THE IMPACT, DAMAGED CAUSED BY THE FIRE, AND DAMAGE CAUSED BY MOVEMENT OF THE WRECKAGE, THEY COULD NOT FIND A COMPONENT FAILURE THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. THE FIRST SKID MARKS STARTED UNDER THE POWERLINES, BUT THE POWER LINES WERE NOT DAMAGED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO UNDETERMINED MECHANICAL FAILURE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BIXBY
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74008
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1300
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 967
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 14 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42138
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2238W
NTSB Number FTW90DPJ05
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 47G-4A
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G-4A
Aircraft Serial Number 7704
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 11 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 231
Airframe Hours 4406
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CRISTOPHER BAILEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4912 RED BUD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SAND SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74063
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 None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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 NONE
Departure City BIXBY
Departure State OK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City BIXBY
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --