Bell 47G-2 N2879B

Summary

On 15 April 1982 at about 15:00 local time, a Bell 47G-2 registered N2879B, operated by Valley Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Stockton, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

15 April 1982 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Stockton, California, United States

Coordinates

37.8990, -121.4007

Aircraft

Bell 47G-2

Registration

N2879B

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Valley Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Stockton → Stockton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX82DA135

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT LANDED TO PICK UP A FLAGGER AND TAKE HIM TO THE END OF THE FIELD. THE LANDING WAS MADE FACING NORTH ON A NORTH-SOUTH DRIVEWAY. AN OVERHEAD LINE WAS LOCATED ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY. DURING TAKEOFF, THE PILOT MOVED LATERALLY TO THE WEST, AND THEN TURNED THE HELICOPTER TO TAKEOFF. HE THOUGHT THE HELICOPTER WOULD BE CLEAR OF THE OVERHEAD LINE; HOWEVER, THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE WIRE AND FAILED. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN AND THE PILOT INITIATED A HOVERING AUTOROTATION. DURING TOUCHDOWN, A SKID FAILED WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS STILL SPINNING AND MOVING ACROSS THE GROUND. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DEMOLISHED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.