Bell 47G 5 N6288N

Summary

On 29 April 2016 at about 14:15 local time, a Bell 47G 5 registered N6288N, operated by Wilbur-Ellis Co, was involved in an accident near San Ardo, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 April 2016 at 14:15

Classification

Accident

Location

San Ardo, California, United States

Coordinates

36.0072, -120.8789

Aircraft

Bell 47G 5

Registration

N6288N

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Wilbur-Ellis Co

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Ardo → San Ardo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR16LA099

1 person had minor injuries.

The failure of the pin in the outboard end of the lateral flight control torque tube.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While performing an agricultural flight, the pilot of the helicopter heard a loud noise followed by a vibration in the flight controls, and the helicopter began to roll. He noted that the cyclic was stiffer than normal, and his control inputs produced a delayed response from the helicopter. The pilot was able to return the helicopter to level flight and attempted a run-on landing; however, the helicopter began a roll to the left, which he was not able to correct before the main rotor blades impacted the ground and the helicopter rolled onto its side, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination revealed that the pin for the outboard end torque tube, which controlled lateral movement of the swashplate, was fractured.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.