The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Helena, Montana
Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
https://registry.faa.gov/N3078G
Location: Mosby, MT
Accident Number: WPR19LA194
Date & Time: 07/13/2019, 1430 MDT
Registration: N3078G
Aircraft: BELL 47G 3B 1
Injuries: 2 Serious, 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Aerial Observation
On July 13, 2019, about 1430 mountain daylight time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 helicopter, N3078G, impacted terrain while approaching to land at their intended landing area on a private ranch about 11 miles east of Mosby, Montana. The commercial pilot and one passenger received serious injuries, and one passenger received minor injuries. The helicopter received substantial damage to the fuselage and the main rotor assembly. The helicopter was registered to and operated by AV8-ORR Helicopter Services as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from a remote site near Benzien, Montana about 1400, and was destined for the private ranch.
According to the two passengers, the helicopter was recently refueled and was operating normally throughout the flight as they arrived at their intended landing area. The pilot orbited the landing area in preparation for landing. As the helicopter was about 30 ft above the ground adjacent to the landing zone, the helicopter began to spin to the right, and climb above a nearby structure. One passenger stated that the pilot was applying full left pedal after the helicopter began spinning. The helicopter subsequently descended into a concrete silage pit about 300 ft away from their intended landing area.
According to a ranch hand, who was watching the helicopter orbit the area prior to landing, it approached from the east and it looked normal until it was about 30 to 40 ft above the ground. He stated that the helicopter turned to the right and left and back to the right, before it ascended and flew directly over his position. The ranch hand stated it looked like the helicopter struck the concrete edge of the silage pit with the main rotor system and came to rest upright in the silage pit.
The helicopter was relocated to a secure location for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: BELL
Registration: N3078G
Model/Series: 47G 3B 1
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Av8-Orr Helicopter Services Inc
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Agricultural Aircraft (137); Commuter Air Carrier (135); Rotorcraft External Load (133)
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: , 2854 ft msl
Observation Time: 1422 MDT
Distance from Accident Site: 5 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 31°C / 15°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Unknown
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 7 knots / , 160°
Lowest Ceiling: Unknown
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Benzien, MT
Destination: Mosby, MT
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Serious, 1 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 47.040833, -107.660556
GARFIELD COUNTY – Three people were hurt in a helicopter crash in Garfield County Saturday afternoon.
According to Garfield County Sheriff Clay Lammers, the cause of the crash is still unclear, however witnesses said that the helicopter seemed to be shaking as it fell and crashed near Highway 200 about 40 miles east of Jordan.
The crash occurred around 2:30 p.m. The helicopter was trying to land when it crashed about 100 yards before its destination, according to Lammers.
The occupants — a 31-year-old male pilot and his two passengers, a 65-year-old male and a 34-year-old female — were transported by Garfield County ambulance to St. Vincent’s hospital in Billings.
Lammers said that the helicopter was contracted by the Bureau of Land Management, but he was unclear as to the nature of the work.
Original article ➤ https://krtv.com
Three people were hurt in a helicopter crash in Garfield County on Saturday afternoon.
It's unclear what caused the crash, said Garfield County Sheriff Clay Lammers, but witnesses said that the helicopter was shaking violently as it descended toward ranch land along Highway 200 about 40 miles west of Jordan, where it crash-landed.
A male passenger had minor injuries, while the male pilot and female passenger had significant injuries, Lammers said. All three were taken to St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings. The wreck occurred at about 2:30 p.m.
The helicopter was owned by a company based out of Hamilton and was performing work for the Bureau of Land Management in the area of the 2017 Lodgepole Complex wildfire. Lammers wasn't sure where the occupants were from, and he wasn't sure about the exact nature of the work.
The wreckage of the rotorcraft will remain in place until federal investigators conclude their investigation of the crash, he said. No one from the Federal Aviation Administration or the National Transportation Safety Board was on site Saturday.
Original article ➤ https://billingsgazette.com
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