# Accident 19890716023059A: Bell OH13ETEXHELI, Hilmar, CA, July 16, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 16, 1989, 13:30 local time
- Place: Hilmar, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: RDHG
- Location: 37.4706° N, 120.8508° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4706&lon=-120.8508&mi=10
- Aircraft: N38117, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N38117-2017-06-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Texas Helicopter OH-13E (registry code 8930102, https://openairdocs.org/model/texas-helicopter-oh-13e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming VO-435 series (registry code 41525, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-435-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL OH13ETEXHELI
- Reported engine: LYC VO435A1F
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,025 total, 425 in this make and model, 92 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX89DVA07](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX89DVA07) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890716023059A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LIFTED OFF PLATFORM TO HOVER. TAIL ROTOR HIT THE GROUND. LOST CONTROL,HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER AND SELF-DESTRUCTED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX89DVA07](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX89DVA07), Jul 16, 1989: Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74 (N38117), Hilmar, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM A LOADING PLATFORM.

## Other reports on N38117 (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19840217011569I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840217011569I), Feb 17, 1984: Bell OH13EISENBG (N38117), Escalon, CA. Ag aircrafts spray boom caught and broke an electrical cable while spraying a field. No damage or injury.
- [Accident 19820720032879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820720032879A), Jul 20, 1982: Bell OH13ETEXHELI (N38117), Milan, MO, Substantial damage. Helicopter failed to attain translational lift after lift off. Settled to ground. Impact cut off tail boom.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.