Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bakersfield, California 93312
Wednesday, May 25, 2005 8:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter collided with power lines and crashed in a cotton field while conducting aerial application operations. The pilot completed his first pass from west to east across the north end of the potato field. As he came in for his second pass, the helicopter struck power lines that ran north and south along the west side of the potato field. The helicopter came down in an adjacent cotton field. The pilot said he saw the power lines just prior to striking them.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clearance from the power lines.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/2005
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Bakersfield
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93312
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 352301N
Event Location Longitude 1191959W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 754 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 77
Weather Observation Facility ID BFL
Elevation of weather observation facility 507
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
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) 29.91
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20179
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 25 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2006 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO Fresno, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N110DT
NTSB Number LAX05LA187
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Serial Number 7631
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 10128
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Inland Crop Dusters, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5001 Stearman Ave
Aircraft Owner City Shafter
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93263
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 Shafter
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 93263
Operator Code PWWG
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 No
Departure Airport Code KMIT
Departure City Shafter
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 700
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? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2006 6:02PM
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 --