Event LAX96LA263

Factual narrative

On July 6, 1996, at 0835 hours Pacific daylight time, a Bell 47G3, N154PG, operated by G. K. Lewis Aviation, Bakersfield, California, crashed into a cotton field during an aerial application flight near Wasco, California. The helicopter was substantially damaged, and the commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the local area flight which began at 0530 from Shafter, California. The pilot reported that during the morning he had made several spray runs over the designated field. The last takeoff was made from the bed of a truck at 0833. The first two spray passes over the field were uneventful. The accident occurred during the third pass. The pilot stated that during the flight he "got behind the RPM," and the helicopter settled into the cotton field. While attempting to increase engine power, the side of the spray boom impacted the field, control was lost, and a main rotor blade severed the tail boom. The plot further reported that no mechanical malfunctions or failures precipitated the accident. In the pilot's completed accident report, he indicated that the accident could have been prevented had he not allowed the rpm to get low, and by keeping ahead of the rpm all the time. According to the pilot, while spraying a cotton field he failed to maintain adequate engine rpm. The helicopter settled into the field, the spray boom contacted the ground, control was lost, and a main rotor severed the tail boom. The pilot further reported that no mechanical malfunctions or failures precipitated the accident. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12