Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brawley, California 92227
Friday, February 19, 1982 6:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT VISUALLY CHECKED THE GAS TANK BEFORE TAKEOFF AND ESTIMATED THERE WAS ABOUT 1/4 TANK OF FUEL. HE THEN STARTED THE ENGINE AND HOVERED OVER TO THE WATER TANKER AND LOADED 60 GALLONS OF WATER IN THE SPRAY TANK IN ORDER TO CALIBRATE THE NUMBER OF GALLONS PER ACRE THE RIG SPRAYED. AFTER SPRAYING SOME WATER ON THE GROUND HE ASKED THE TANKER OPERATOR TO REFUEL HIS HELICOPTER BUT WAS TOLD THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE SINCE THE PUMP WAS INOPERABLE. THE MECHANIC LOOKED IN THE GAS TANK AND TOLD THE PILOT IT WAS OK TO MOVE TO THE GAS PUMP. THE PILOT PICKED UP THE HELICOPTER AND MOVED TO AN ADJACENT WHEAT FIELD TO SPRAY OUT THE REMAINING WATER AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE FAILED TO PRODUCE POWER. THE HELICOPTER WAS AUTOROTATED FROM AN ESTIMATED 7 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/19/1982
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 640
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BRAWLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92227
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 655
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID IPL
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
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 Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 60
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 442
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4021A
NTSB Number LAX82FA077
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 47G2
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G2
Aircraft Serial Number 1879
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 4936
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MAR AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1050 NORTH EASTERN
Aircraft Owner City BRAWLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92227
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MAR AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1050 NORTH EASTERN
Operator City BRAWLEY
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92227
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City BRAWLEY
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 630
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City BRAWLEY
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
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 --