ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 131970
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| Date: | Wednesday 11 August 1993 |
| Time: | 11:45 LT |
| Type: |  Hiller UH-12E |
| Owner/operator: | Pacific Valley Aviation, Inc. |
| Registration: | N100LM |
| MSN: | 1583 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7635 hours |
| Engine model: | ALLISON 250 C20B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Dixon, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | (NONE) |
| (NONE) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
AN FAA INSPECTOR SAID THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN WORKING THE FIELD FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS DISPENSING INSECTICIDES. THE PILOT DEPARTED THE TRUCK AFTER REFUELING TO FINISH THE REMAINING CORNER OF THE FIELD BEING SPRAYED. THE FIELD IS BORDERED BY A SET OF POWER LINES ON WOODEN POLES WITH A WIRE HEIGHT ABOUT 40 FEET AGL. THE PILOT WAS FLYING UNDER THE POWER LINES DURING HIS SPRAY RUNS. THE LAST TWO POLES HAD A ONE QUARTER INCH GUY WIRE STRUNG BETWEEN THEM ABOUT HALF WAY UP THE POLES. ON THE FINAL PASS IN THE FIELD, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE GUY WIRE. BASED ON HIS INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE AND WITNESS OBSERVATIONS, THE FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE WIRE AT A POINT BETWEEN THE ROTOR HUB AND THE SWASH PLATE ASSEMBLY, BREAKING THE PITCH CHANGE LINKS. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND WAS ATTEMPTING A RUN ON LANDING CROSS FURROW IN A TOMATO FIELD ABOUT TWO MILES FROM THE WIRE STRIKE. THE HELICOPTER SKIDS CAUGHT ON BOTH THE PLANTS AND THE SOFT FURROWS AND TUMBLED TO A STOP.
Probable Cause: the failure of the pilot to visually detect and avoid the guy wire.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX93LA319
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 10-Apr-2024 11:50 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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