Bell 47G-5A accident near Winterhaven, California, August 1, 1984
On August 1, 1984 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Bell 47G-5A (helicopter), registered N4099G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winterhaven, 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
- August 1, 1984 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Winterhaven, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-5A · all 47G-5As on the register
- Registration
- N4099G · no longer on the register · serial 7909
- 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 ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING A TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AFTER THE ACFT WAS LOADED WITH 60 GALLONS OF PESTICIDE A TAKEOFF WAS BEGUN. THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND TRAVELED ABOUT 300 FT WHEN THE PLT INADVERTANTLY ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO DECAY AND THE ACFT DESCENDED. PRIOR TO IMPACT THE PLT TRIED TO REGAIN RPM BUT WAS UNABLE TO BEFORE THE LEFT SKID DUG INTO THE SOFT SOIL THE ACFT PITCHED FORWARD AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,770 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 183 in the last 90 days; 112 in the last 30 days; 9,150 as pilot in command; 1,450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,455 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1984; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Winterhaven AZ at 12:29 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N4099G 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.