Bell 47G-4A N110DT

Summary

On 14 June 1998 at about 22:30 local time, a Bell 47G-4A registered N110DT was involved in an accident near Shafter, California, 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

14 June 1998 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Shafter, California, United States

Nearest airport

Shafter-Minter (MIT)

Coordinates

35.4897, -119.3007

Aircraft

Bell 47G-4A

Registration

N110DT

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shafter → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX98LA197

Nobody was injured.

The aircraft's encounter with settling with power, which resulted from the pilot's decision to perform a steep downwind approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he made a steep downwind approach to the landing pad and the helicopter entered into settling with power (vortex ring state). He reported that he was at too low an altitude to recover and the helicopter impacted the terrain about 500 feet west of the intended landing zone. The main rotor blades severed the tail boom. The pilot reported that he had not experienced any mechanical malfunction with the helicopter prior to the accident, but stated that he should have made a shallower approach.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.