ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 30247
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| Date: | Tuesday 15 February 2000 |
| Time: | 16:28 |
| Type: |  Bell 47G-5 |
| Owner/operator: | Greenbelt Aviation |
| Registration: | N4754R |
| MSN: | 7924 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1969 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7203 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming VO-435-B1A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Riverbank, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot had landed to refill the aircraft's hopper from a truck-mounted re-supply tank. After refilling the hopper, the ground support person did not remove the loading hose from the hopper and the pilot did not verify that the hose had been removed before takeoff. After takeoff, the helicopter was pulled to the left as the hose became taught and finally snapped. The pilot applied right pedal to regain forward attitude but the helicopter lost main rotor speed and abruptly settled to the ground. The main rotor blades flapped down, striking the ground, and shattering the cockpit bubble. The lower Sprague system separated as the aircraft contacted the ground, shifting the main rotor mast. This shift moved the fuel tank and ruptured the main fuel line. The fuel spilled onto the exhaust system, resulting in a fire.
Probable Cause: the pilot's failure to verify that ground personnel had disconnected the loading hose from the hopper before takeoff, resulting in restricted directional control and a hard landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001212X20518&key=1
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 19-Oct-2011 17:15 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:16 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:20 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 12-Dec-2017 18:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
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