ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 43423
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| Date: | Sunday 11 August 1996 |
| Time: | 12:15 LT |
| Type: |  Bell 47G-4A |
| Owner/operator: | Coker Helicopter, Inc. |
| Registration: | N9472G |
| MSN: | 7519 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1966 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 11900 hours |
| Engine model: | Allison 250-C20 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Adel, GA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was hovering the helicopter above a radio tower as a worker was attaching a 50 foot line from the helicopter to an antenna on the tower. As the helicopter maneuvered above the tower, it settled, and the main rotor blades collided with the antenna and mounting pole. The main rotor separated from the helicopter, and the helicopter descended uncontrolled until ground impact. The worker's left ankle was broken when the helicopter hit the antenna. The winds were reported to be steady at about 15 mph with no gusts. Toxicology tests of specimens from the pilot showed 0.214 mcg/ml diphenhydramine in blood, 0.597 mcg/ml diphenhydramine in liver fluid, and diphenhydramine was detected in his urine. Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine with sedative effects. FAA records showed the helicopter operator held a Title 14 CFR Part 137 Aerial Application Certificate, but there was no record that the operator held a 14 CFR Part 133 External Load Certificate. Also, the logbook showed no record of an FAA Form 337, Major Repair and Alteration, for installation of the external load hook, which reportedly had been installed by the pilot about a week before the accident.
Probable Cause: the pilot's misjudgment of clearance between the helicopter and the antenna. A factor relating to the accident was the pilot's use of a drug (medication) that had sedative effects.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB MIA96LA210
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Apr-2024 19:39 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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