Bell 47G-2 accident near Watsonville, California, January 4, 1984
On January 4, 1984 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Bell 47G-2 (helicopter), registered N10194, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watsonville, 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 1984 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Watsonville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-2 · all 47G-2s on the register
- Registration
- N10194 · registry record · serial 1056
- 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 PLT REPORTED THAT HE WAS MAKING A SWATH RUN AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD WHEN HE APCHD A STANDPIPE. HE APPLIED CONTROL PRESSURE TO AVOID THE OBSTRUCTION, BUT THE OUTER 3 INCHES OF THE ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE STANDPIPE. THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 25 FT BEYOND THE STANDPIPE & WAS FURTHER DAMAGED. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS ACCUSTOMED TO FLYING A HELICOPTER WITH LONGER SPRAY BOOMS & THAT THE SHORT BOOMS ON THIS ACFT WERE NOT AS GOOD FOR REFERENCE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,248 hours in all; 5,670 in this make and model; 112 in the last 90 days; 18,125 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,839 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helicare AG, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N10194 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.