Bell 47-GB31 N92HA

Summary

On 17 July 1998 at about 18:30 local time, a Bell 47-GB31 registered N92HA was involved in an accident near Olathe, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 July 1998 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Olathe, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Clifford Field (ICO4)

Coordinates

38.6002, -107.9794

Aircraft

Bell 47-GB31

Registration

N92HA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA315

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning which resulted in an encounter with his own wake turbulence. Related factors were high density altitude and wake turbulence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on its third aerial application pass, to dispense a rinse load, the helicopter flew into its own wake turbulence and had insufficient power to overcome the settling which ensued. The helicopter struck the ground in a nose low attitude and the main rotor blades severed the tail boom. Density altitude at the time was computed to be approximately 8,900 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.