Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Blooming Prairi, Minnesota 55917
Saturday, August 4, 2001 19:15 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power while performing an operation under 14 CFR part 137. The pilot and passenger sustained no injuries. The pilot reported, "Observation executed at 75' AGL [above ground level] and below 20 mph. Engine loss of power. Autorotation to neighboring soybean field. Damage to aircraft. No Injuries. Aircraft had 20 gallons of fuel and no agricultural treatment products on board." The accident engine ran during a test run. The temperature was 29 degrees C and the dew point was 23 degrees C. At 1915, the calculated density altitude was 3,025 feet.
The temperature and dew point were plotted on the carburetor icing chart and their intersection fell in the serious icing - descent power area. The observation airspeed and altitude were plotted on height/velocity chart and their intersection falls in the avoid continuous operation area of the chart. The Bell 47G-2 flight manual stated, "PASSENGERS PROHIBITED DURING SPECIAL PURPOSE OPERATIONS. Persons other than minimum crew necessary for the purpose involved shall not be carried during special purpose operations in restricted category aircraft." FAA regulation section 91.313 stated' "Restricted category civil aircraft: Operating limitations. ... (d) No person may be carried on a restricted category civil aircraft unless that person- (1) Is a flight crewmember; (2) Is a flight crewmember trainee; (3) Performs an essential function in connection with a special purpose operation for which the aircraft is certificated; or (4) Is necessary to accomplish the work activity directly associated with that special purpose."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The reported loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during a the cruise portion of a CFR part 137 observation, and the pilot not following the height/velocity charts data.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/4/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1915 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Blooming Prairi |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 55917 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| 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 | 1915 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 315 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OWA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1145 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | -- |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 3025 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12578 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 4 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2230 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 16 2003 4:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Minneapolis, MN, FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N440TG |
| NTSB Number | CHI01LA259 |
| 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 | Bell |
| Aircraft Model | 47G-2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2245 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2850 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 18 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 90 |
| Airframe Hours | 13180 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SCOTTS HELICOPTER SERVICES INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 92 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Le Sueur |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 55058 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SCOTTS HELICOPTER SERVICES INC |
| 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 | CUHR |
| 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 Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Blooming Prairi |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| 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 - aerial application |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 7 2002 11:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |