Bell 47G 5 accident near San Ardo, California, April 29, 2016
On April 29, 2016 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 1968 Bell 47G 5 (helicopter), registered N6288N, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near San Ardo, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pin in the outboard end of the lateral flight control torque tube.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2016 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- San Ardo, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G 5, built 1968 · all 47G 5s on the register
- Registration
- N6288N · registry record · serial 7888
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing an agricultural flight, the pilot of the helicopter heard a loud noise followed by a vibration in the flight controls, and the helicopter began to roll. He noted that the cyclic was stiffer than normal, and his control inputs produced a delayed response from the helicopter. The pilot was able to return the helicopter to level flight and attempted a run-on landing; however, the helicopter began a roll to the left, which he was not able to correct before the main rotor blades impacted the ground and the helicopter rolled onto its side, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination revealed that the pin for the outboard end torque tube, which controlled lateral movement of the swashplate, was fractured.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Flight control sys malf/fail during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Rotorcraft flight control › Main rotor control › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,425 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 29, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,013 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 21, 2016; 21 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-B1A (piston); 6,967 hours total
- Operator: Wilbur-Ellis CO
The flight
- Departed from: San Ardo CA at 2:15 pm
- Destination: San Ardo CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KPRB, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N6288N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR16LA099.