Bell 47G-3B N8480E
31 July 1993 · Clarinda, Iowa, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 31 July 1993 at about 22:30 local time, a Bell 47G-3B registered N8480E, operated by Ambrose, Walter J. JR., was involved in an accident near Clarinda, Iowa, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Clarinda, Iowa, United States
- Coordinates
- 40.7308, -95.0302
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B
- Registration
- N8480E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Ambrose, Walter J. JR.
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Application
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI93LA305
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES DURING AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS ENGAGED IN AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERS OVER FLAT TERRAIN. HE REPORTED HE ASSESSED THE FIELD TO LOCATE OBSTACLES, THEN MADE THE FIRST SPRAY RUN FROM EAST TO WEST. AS THE HELICOPTER APPROACHED THE EAST END OF THE FIELD AT THE END OF THE SECOND SPRAY RUN, THE PILOT '...WAS AGAIN VERIFYING THE EXISTANCE AND LOCATION OF POWER POLES AND LOOKING FOR POWER LINES. DURING CLIMBOUT ON EAST END OF FIELD POWER LINES WERE IMPACTED BY SKIDS... .' THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST INVERTED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell 47 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Apr 1993 | Bell 47-G2 | American Samoa | San Diego Fisheries | No injuries | - |
| 25 Aug 1993 | Bell 47-G5 | Fulton, Wisconsin, United States | Gordon Patterson | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Feb 1993 | Bell 47G | Bakersfield, California, United States | Inland Crop Dusting, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 16 May 1993 | Bell 47-G | Parker, Florida, United States | Rogers Intl. Corp. | Fatal | 2 |
| 21 May 1993 | Bell 47 | Berlin, Wisconsin, United States | ROY W. Reabe | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Jun 1993 | Bell 47G | Panama City, Florida, United States | Harris, JR., Dane H. | Minor injuries | - |
All 1,633 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Sep 1993 | Piper PA-23-250 | Spencer, Iowa, United States | Robert L. Cozine | No injuries | - |
| 27 Sep 1993 | Cessna 177B | Fayette, Iowa, United States | Red Baron Flyers, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 21 May 1993 | Piper PA-25 | Essex, Iowa, United States | Shenandoah Flight Services, Inc | Fatal | 1 |
| 2 Aug 1993 | Howard W Dutton GLAS AIR II RG | Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, United States | Dutton, Howard W. | Fatal | 1 |
| 19 Jan 1993 | Cessna 152 | Lineville, Iowa, United States | Hap's Air Service, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 6 Mar 1993 | Piper PA-28-140 | Newton, Iowa, United States | Cunningham, Laverne A. | Fatal | 4 |