N4427FBell 47G-5 · 1970

On June 20, 2015, about 0715 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 47G-5 helicopter, N4427F, impacted a fence and terrain while maneuvering about 5 miles southwest of the Salinas Municipal Airport (SNS), Salinas, California. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Gomes Farm Air Service, Inc., under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local aerial application flight originated from a loading area near the accident site about 0650.

According to a tachograph card found in the wreckage, the pilot had completed six different work orders at various locations on the morning of the accident.

Two witnesses, who worked for the operator, refilled the fertilizer tank on the helicopter and saw it depart from the loading area. According to the witnesses, about the time that the helicopter was expected to return, a thick fog came in, and the visibility dropped to about 15 to 20 ft. The witnesses became concerned when the helicopter failed to return for its scheduled rinse load. One of them searched for the helicopter and found the accident site nearby.

The pilot, age 67, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and rotorcraft-helicopter ratings. He did not hold an instrument rating. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records indicated that the pilot's most recent third-class airman medical certificate was issued on February 10, 2014, with the limitation that the pilot "must wear corrective lenses." According to the pilot's application for this medical, he had accumulated a total of 17,500 hours of flight time of which 200 hours were within the last 6 months.

The helicopter, a Bell 47G-5, serial number 7971, was manufactured in 1970 and was issued a restricted category airworthiness certificate on May 17, 2012. The helicopter's type certificate data sheet indicated that it seated two and had a maximum gross weight of 2,257 pounds. The helicopter was configured for agriculture and pest control operations. The most recent annual inspection was conducted on February 6, 2015, at a total airframe time of 8,275 hours.

At 0653, the SNS weather reporting facility, located about 5 miles east of the accident site, reported wind calm, visibility 7 statute miles, sky condition clear, temperature 12°C, dew point 9°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury.

At 0653, the recorded weather at Monterey Regional Airport, Monterey, California, about 9 miles southwest of the accident site, was wind 290° at 3 knots, visibility 1 statute mile, mist, overcast at 200 ft, temperature 12°C, dew point 11°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.93 inches of mercury.

The helicopter, a Bell 47G-5, serial number 7971, was manufactured in 1970 and was issued a restricted category airworthiness certificate on May 17, 2012. The helicopter's type certificate data sheet indicated that it seated two and had a maximum gross weight of 2,257 pounds. The helicopter was configured for agriculture and pest control operations. The most recent annual inspection was conducted on February 6, 2015, at a total airframe time of 8,275 hours.

An FAA inspector examined and documented the wreckage on-scene. The helicopter came to rest on a road near a lettuce field. An opening was torn in a wired fence that ran parallel to the road about 40 ft northeast of the main wreckage. Powerlines running in an east-west direction about 50 ft south of the accident site were undamaged. During the examination, the inspector did not identify any anomalies or malfunctions with the helicopter.

The pilot was involved in a helicopter accident on September 3, 2010, where he received serious injuries, and the Bell 47G helicopter was substantially damaged (NTSB accident number WPR10LA446). The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the accident was the pilot's visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation and loss of helicopter control.

The Monterey County Sheriff-Coroner's Office, Salinas, California, performed an autopsy of the pilot. The autopsy report listed blunt force injuries as the cause of death. The autopsy also identified an enlarged heart and significant coronary artery disease with 50-75% stenosis of two coronary arteries.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology testing of the pilot and identified 0.718 ug/ml of hydrocodone and 0.098 ug/ml of dihydrocodeine in blood and 224 ug/ml of acetaminophen, 4.61 ug/ml of dihydrocodeine, 36.917 ug/ml of hydrocodone, and 12.99 ug/ml of hydromorphone in urine.

Hydrocodone is a prescription opioid identified as a Schedule II controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is most commonly sold in combination with acetaminophen, often with the names Vicodin and Lortab. It carries several warnings, including, "hydrocodone, like all narcotics, may impair the mental and/or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks such as driving a car or operating machinery," and "alcohol and other CNS (central nervous system) depressants may produce an additive CNS depression, when taken with this combination product, and should be avoided."

Dihydrocodeine and hydromorphone are each opioid analgesics, but they are also metabolites of hydrocodone. Hydrocodone's usual therapeutic levels are between 0.010 and 0.050 ug/ml. Dihydrocodeine's usual therapeutic levels are between 0.050 and 0.150 ug/ml.

The pilot had reported no chronic medical conditions and no chronic medication use to the FAA. At the time of the autopsy, a small plastic baggie containing 5 tablets labeled M367 was found in the pilot's pocket. The autopsy report identified these tablets as a combination of 325 mg of acetaminophen and 10 mg of hydrocodone.

On September 3, 2010, about 0600 Pacific daylight time, a Bell 47G-5 helicopter, N4427F, was substantially damaged following impact with terrain near Salinas, California. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured. Gomes Farm Air Service of Salinas, was operating the helicopter under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed. The repositioning flight had departed the Salinas Municipal Airport (SNS) about 0550, with its destination being an off-airport work site about 3 miles west of SNS.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector who conducted a telephone interview with the pilot shortly after the accident, the pilot stated that he was flying about 50 feet above the ground and was concerned about the power lines that were hidden by the fog. The pilot reported that he then climbed up to about 80 feet above ground level (agl), which put him in the fog, and when he turned on the landing light in an attempt to illuminate the ground references and identify the power lines, it caused a temporary blinding condition that caused him to become disoriented. The pilot stated that he then attempted a 180-degree turn toward the airport, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with the highway pavement. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the helicopter.

In a written report submitted to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) several days after the accident, the pilot reported that abeam the airport’s control tower at an altitude of about 75 feet mean sea level (msl) and after turning west toward the interstate highway that borders the airport on the west, he could clearly see a [sugar plant] about 2 miles away. The pilot stated that after reaching the interstate highway he climbed to 100 feet msl and remained clear of clouds, with visibility “2 miles plus.” The pilot revealed that when the helicopter was over the interstate highway’s median strip between the north and southbound lanes, visibility began to deteriorate. The pilot reported that at this time he decided to turn around and return to the airport, as well as to descend in an attempt to re-establish visual contact [with ground references]. The pilot stated that during the descent and course reversal the tail section of the helicopter collided with a guard rail on the highway. The helicopter subsequently impacted the highway pavement and came to rest inverted partially in a southbound lane. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to its airframe.

A truck driver who was traveling southbound on the interstate highway reported seeing the helicopter approaching her position from the right side; it was moving from side to side. The witness stated that the helicopter subsequently impacted the terrain and rolled over, coming to rest partially inverted. The witness added that the forward visibility at the time of the accident was about 250 feet, and it was also very foggy.

At 0546, a special observation was reported by the SNS Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), which revealed wind calm, visibility 2 ½ miles, mist, overcast clouds at 100 feet, temperature 13 degrees Celsius, dew point 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of Mercury.

At 0553, the SNS ASOS reported wind calm, visibility 2 ½ miles, mist, overcast clouds at 100 feet, temperature 13 degrees Celsius, dew point 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.97 inches of Mercury.