ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 76672
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| Date: | Friday 3 September 2010 |
| Time: | 06:00 |
| Type: |  Bell 47G-5 |
| Owner/operator: | Frank Gomes |
| Registration: | N4427F |
| MSN: | 7971 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1970 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7936 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming VO435 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Highway 101 near Salinas, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Salinas, CA (SNS) |
| Salinas, CA (SNS) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
After taking off on a visual flight rules flight in instrument meterological conditions, with a reported 2 1/2 miles visibility with mist and overcast clouds at 100 feet, the pilot proceeded westbound about 50 feet above ground level (agl) then, while approaching an interstate highway, climbed to 100 feet agl in order to avoid power lines. During the climb, the helicopter entered the fog. The pilot stated that after entering the fog he turned on the landing light, which blinded him and caused him to become disoriented as he attempted to make a 180-degree turn back to the airport. The pilot added that he subsequently lost control of the helicopter and impacted a highway guardrail with the tail section of the helicopter. The helicopter then came to rest inverted and partially in the southbound lane of the highway. The pilot reported no helicopter mechanical failures or malfunctions. A truck driver who witnessed the accident reported that the forward visibility was about 250 feet at the time of the accident.
Probable Cause: The pilot's visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation and loss of helicopter control.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 20 June 2015 | N4427F | Gomes Farm Air Service Inc | 1 | West of Salinas Municipal Airport (KSNS), Salinas, California | |
sub |
| Loss of control | ||||||
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Sep-2010 15:01 | VHKDK | Added |
| 04-Sep-2010 17:20 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location] |
| 26-Oct-2011 10:52 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 26-Nov-2017 18:10 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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