Elk-Hills Buttonwillow Airport, Buttonwillow California
Location: The Elk Hills - Buttonwillow Airport is located 3
miles south of Buttonwillow, California.
History:
Elk-Hills Buttonwillow Airport Today: Closed to night
operations; Agricultural operations; RC models;
Airport
Services and Amenities:
Special Events and
Attractions:
Airport
Area Accident History:
Accident occurred Thursday, May 31, 2001 in
Buttonwillow, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 2/25/2003
Aircraft: Bell 47G-4A, registration: N110DT
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
During the aerial application
turn-to-reverse direction to continue spraying chemicals, the helicopter began
settling with power and collided with the ground. According to the pilot, "near
triple digit" temperatures, a wind shift, and a steep 180-degree turn resulted
in the power settling that could not be arrested prior to ground impact. The
pilot also reported that the temperature over the unplanted field where he was
executing the reverse turn was higher than over the corn field he had been
spraying.
The National Transportation Safety Board
determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning
that resulted in settling with power during an aerial application
turn-to-reverse direction and collision with the ground. Factors were high
density altitude and a wind shift.
Elk-Hills Buttonwillow
Airport Approach / Landing:
