Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pollock Pines, California 95726
Saturday, November 2, 2002 9:10 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During initial climb from a 3,500-foot mean sea level plateau, the helicopter's skid collided with a 3-foot-high bush. The helicopter yawed and impacted the ground. The pilot reported that the collision occurred after he had increased the helicopter's collective pitch and accelerated to about 20 knots, thereby starting to acquire effective translational lift.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate obstruction clearance during initial climb, which resulted in a collision with vegetation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/2/2002
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 910
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Pollock Pines
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95726
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 384322N
Event Location Longitude 1203606W
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 850 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID AUN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1531
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
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) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16543
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Nov 2 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1007
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 28 2004 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO Sacramento, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2616B
NTSB Number LAX03LA019
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
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 2475
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 17 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 7232
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Gregory J. Desy
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City El Dorado
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95667
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name D. C. Rotor & Wing
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7443 Murieta Drive
Operator City Slough House
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 95683
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Pollock Pines
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 910
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RIU
Destination City Rancho Murieta
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 18 2004 4:39PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --