Bell 47-G2A accident near Bakersfield, California, June 18, 1995
On June 18, 1995 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Bell 47-G2A (helicopter), registered N73260, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, 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 maintain adequate lateral clearance from the irrigation standpipe while applying chemicals to a field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1995 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47-G2A · all 47-G2As on the register
- Registration
- N73260 · no longer on the register · serial 2725
- 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 SAID HE WAS APPLYING CHEMICALS TO A COTTON FIELD AND MISJUDGED HIS DISTANCE FROM A 20-FOOT-TALL IRRIGATION STANDPIPE. THE MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED THE STANDPIPE AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO THE FIELD.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,500 hours in all; 16,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 13, 1995; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIT Shafter CA at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from BFL, 13 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.
Other NTSB records under N73260 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.