# Accident 19990202009049A: Arofal OH58C, Lakeland, FL, February 2, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 2, 1999, 21:50 local time
- Place: Lakeland, FL
- Airport: Lakeland Regional Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Vertical (Helicopter Only)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.0398° N, 81.9006° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0398&lon=-81.9006&mi=10
- Aircraft: N151ES, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N151ES-2005-01-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell OH-58C (registry code 1181580, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AROFAL OH58C
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99GA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99GA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990202009049A

## Narrative

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

(.19)ON FEBRUARY 2, 1999, ABOUT 2150 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BELL OH-58C, HELICOPTER, N151ES, REGISTERED TO THE CITY OF LAKELAND POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND OPERATED AS A PUBLIC-USE AIRCRAFT, WAS DESTROYED DURING LIFTOFF, AT THE LAKELAND AIRPORT, LAKELAND, FLORIDA. THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT REPORTED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER REPORTED MINOR INJURIES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) PREVAILED IN THE VICINTITY, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED.  THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TITLE 14 CFR PART 91.  THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.   ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD COMPLETED HIS DUTY DAY AND SECURED THE HELICOPTER IN THE HANGAR.  ANOTHER OFFICER THEN CAME TO HIM AT THE HANGAR AND SAID THAT THE POLK COUNTY SHERIFF NEEDED THEIR ASSISTANCE RIGHT AWAY.  THE PILOT THEN TOOK THE HELICOPTER OUT TO THE PAD.  THE PILOT SAID THAT HIS NORMAL PROCEDURE WAS TAKE THE HELICOPTER TO THE PAD ON A TRAILER AND THE TRAILER WAS PULLED BY A TRACTOR, WHICH WAS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A RIDING LAWN MOWER. WHEN THEY WOULD GET TO THE PAD, ABOUT 25 YARDS FROM THE HANGAR, HE WOULD DISCONNECT THE TRACTOR AND MOVE IT OUT OF THE WAY.  ON THIS FLIGHT BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY OF THE REQUEST HE LEFT THE TRACTOR ATTACHED AND MOVED IT TO THE LEFT OF THE TRAILER, BUT NOT OUT OF THE WAY. THE PILOT SAID HE DID A COMPLETE RUN-UP AND START CHECKS, LIFTED OFF THE TRAILER TO A HOVER AND STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD.  THE NEXT THING HE REMEMBERED WAS THAT THE HELICOPTER HADNOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT SIDE.  EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE LEFT SKID STRUCK AND PENETRATED THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE TRACTOR, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO NOSE OVER.  NO DISCREPANCIES WERE OBSERVED ON THE AIRFRAME, TRANSMISSION OR ENGINE.      (-23)ON FEBRUARY 3, 1999, ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF N151ES ON OH-58 HELICOPTER THAT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND ON TAKEOFF.  THE AIRCRAFT IS REGISTERED TO THE LAKELAND FL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IS USED AS A PUBLIC AIRCRAFT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, WAS RESPONDING TO AN EMEREGENCY ASSISTANCE CALL FROM THE POLK COUNTY SHERRIFF'S OFFICE.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEPARTED FROM A GROUND DOLLY WHEN THE LEFT SKID STRUCK THE TRACTOR USED TO MOVE THE DOLLY, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.  THE LAKELAND POLICE DEPT. HAS BEEN COUNSELED ABOUT CHANGING GROUND HANDLING PROCEDURES.  (SEE ATTACHMENT)

## 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 MIA99GA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99GA072), Feb 3, 1999: Bell OH-58C (N151ES), Lakeland, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot-in command's failure to maintain clearance from the tug. A related factor was the induced pressure.

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.