Bell 47 G5 N7938J

Summary

On 6 July 2003 at about 17:30 local time, a Bell 47 G5 registered N7938J was involved in an accident near Salinas, 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

6 July 2003 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Salinas, California, United States

Coordinates

36.6669, -121.7603

Aircraft

Bell 47 G5

Registration

N7938J

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salinas → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03LA226

Nobody was injured.

The failure of a piston connecting rod during an aerial application, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot reported he had made several passes with the helicopter during an aerial application flight. On the downwind leg of the accident approach, the engine shuttered violently, then quit. The pilot performed a run-on landing. During the landing sequence the main rotor blade made contact with the tail boom of the helicopter, severing the tail rotor gearbox. The engine of the helicopter was externally inspected, and the aft section of the engine case was ruptured. The engine was disassembled, and the number 3 piston connecting rod was discovered to be broken.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.