Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Akeley, Minnesota 56433
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 12:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The agricultural helicopter pilot reported he was on a “clean up” pass and descending toward the field over a set of power lines when he experienced a slight yaw to the right and felt a slight vibration that seemed to be coming from the rear of the helicopter. When he began to apply left pedal input, the helicopter immediately entered an excessively nose low attitude with increased right yaw. After the pilot applied aft cyclic control, the helicopter impacted terrain and came to rest on its left side. An examination of the helicopter and its systems revealed no preimpact anomalies or malfunctions, and there was no evidence that the helicopter had impacted the power lines. The source of the vibration could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control during low altitude agricultural operations.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/25/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1245 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Akeley |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 56433 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 465414N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0944325W |
| 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 | 1253 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 170 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KPKW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1445 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.67 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KPKD 251832Z AUTO 36004KT 10SM FEW024 SCT032 26/19 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31151 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Regl Opns Center - Great L |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 20 2013 2:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N73252 |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA480 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | Scotts-Bell 47 Inc |
| Aircraft Model | 47G-2A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2720 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2850 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| 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 | Dec 21 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 13323 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SCOTTS HELICOPTER SERVICE INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 92 |
| Aircraft Owner City | LE SUEUR |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 56058-0092 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SCOTTS HELICOPTER SERVICE INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 92 |
| Operator City | LE SUEUR |
| Operator State | MN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 56058-0092 |
| Operator Code | CUHG |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Agriculture |
| Operator Certificate Number | CUHG150S |
| 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 | NONE |
| Departure City | Akeley |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | Akeley |
| Destination State | MN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 10 2013 6:12PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |