ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 295443
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| Date: | Wednesday 30 July 2003 |
| Time: | 06:20 LT |
| Type: | Texas Helicopter M74 Wasp (Bell OH-13E) |
| Owner/operator: | James Costa |
| Registration: | N51852 |
| MSN: | 78020 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming VO-540-BIA |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Tulare, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Tulare, CA |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The helicopter collided with power lines during an aerial application. The pilot was on his nineteenth pass over the field, traveling eastbound. Power lines were located on the east and west side of the road. There was a pole about 75 feet tall, and the top 6 feet contained three wires. The top wire, a black colored insulator wire, was located 3 feet from the top of the pole. The pilot located the outbox on the pole and determined he would fly above the box to clear all of the wires. As he flew over the lines, the helicopter impacted the insulator wire about 1/2 foot above the cockpit floor. The helicopter slid along the wire and then the wire broke from the insulator at the next pole. The poles were placed about 300 feet apart. As the helicopter impacted the ground, the left skid hit first, followed by the main rotor.
Probable Cause: the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the wires due to an inadequate visual lookout.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX03CA250
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Oct-2022 08:33 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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