Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blythe, California 92225
Friday, July 13, 2001 8:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a chemical application pass, the pilot of the aerial application helicopter sensed a decrease in engine power and elected to make a precautionary landing. During the landing in a cotton field on irregular, wet ground, the right skid settled into the soil and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. In his subsequent report to the Safety Board, in the section entitled "Mechanical Malfunction Failure," the pilot checked "no."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The selection by the pilot of an unsuitable precautionary landing site on soft, uneven terrain, which resulted in a rollover.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/13/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 820
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Blythe
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92225
Event Date Year 2001
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 756 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 397
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.89
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11383
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 5 2002 9:58AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Riverside, California

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9281P
NTSB Number LAX01LA245
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hiller
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5219
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 29 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 1403
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Akana Francis H DBA
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Blythe
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92225
Operator is an individual? No
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 H4BG
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Blythe
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 - aerial application
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 16 2002 6:00PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --