None Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Austin, Indiana 47277
Friday, July 27, 2012 7:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was on his third aerial application pass when he momentarily glanced over at his global positioning system and the left spray boom struck the ground. The pilot said the spray boom wiggled back and forth before it folded back into the tailboom. The helicopter then began to spin to the right, and the pilot initiated an autorotation. The helicopter landed hard but remained upright. Examination of the helicopter revealed the spray boom, tail rotor, and tail rotor gear box had completely separated from the airframe. The fuselage and main rotor blades were also damaged. The operator reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot did not maintain clearance from terrain during a low-level aerial application flight and lost control of the helicopter.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/2012
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 735
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Austin
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47277
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 384411N
Event Location Longitude 0853824W
Event Location Airport None
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 600 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 218
Weather Observation Facility ID JVY
Elevation of weather observation facility 474
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
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 --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
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) 30526
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 20 2012 6:22PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N652HA
NTSB Number CEN12CA484
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 47G-2A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 52
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 27 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 20296
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name HELICOPTER APPLICATORS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1670 YORK RD
Aircraft Owner City GETTYSBURG
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17325-8201
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name HELICOPTER APPLICATORS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1670 YORK RD
Operator City GETTYSBURG
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 17325-8201
Operator Code --
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 --
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 --
Departure City Austin
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Austin
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 20 2012 1:12PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
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 --