Bell 47G5 accident near Riverbank, California, February 16, 2000
On February 16, 2000, a Bell 47G5 (helicopter), registered N4754R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Riverbank, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to verify that ground personnel had disconnected the loading hose from the hopper before takeoff, resulting in restricted directional control and a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2000
- Place
- Riverbank, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G5 · all 47G5s on the register
- Registration
- N4754R · no longer on the register · serial 7924
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had landed to refill the aircraft's hopper from a truck-mounted re-supply tank. After refilling the hopper, the ground support person did not remove the loading hose from the hopper and the pilot did not verify that the hose had been removed before takeoff. After takeoff, the helicopter was pulled to the left as the hose became taught and finally snapped. The pilot applied right pedal to regain forward attitude but the helicopter lost main rotor speed and abruptly settled to the ground. The main rotor blades flapped down, striking the ground, and shattering the cockpit bubble. The lower Sprague system separated as the aircraft contacted the ground, shifting the main rotor mast. This shift moved the fuel tank and ruptured the main fuel line. The fuel spilled onto the exhaust system, resulting in a fire.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,513 hours in all; 2,730 in this make and model; 5,363 as pilot in command; 950 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,203 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 1999; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Greenbelt Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 142°F (61°C), dew point 113°F (45°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from MOD, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.