What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 16, 1999, about 0730 central daylight time, a Continental copters, inc., tomcat MK5A, N9010T, and a Texas helicopters corp., OH-13E/M74, N38099, collided in flight, over a field in Heflin, Alabama. Both helicopters were registered to gulf helicopters, inc., and operated by the commercial pilots under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 137, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plans were filed. The pilots of both helicopters received fatal injuries, and both helicopters were destroyed. According to witnesses, N38099 was flying south bound about 150 above the ground spraying herbicides. N9010T, had just taken off from a flatbed truck heading north behind a stand of trees about 100 feet tall. Witnesses said they saw N9010T climb over the stand of trees to about 150 feet and turn east into the sun. Within seconds both helicopters collided and fell to the ground. Witnesses stated that they did not observe either helicopter take any evasive action. (-23) on septmeber 16, 1000 at 0753 CDT, john e. cutts took off in his ccopter-OH13E helicopter, N9010T, from his agricultural base next to state road 66 in cleburne county, AL., to conduct agricultural application operations. The field he was to spray was east of his location and he departed eastbound into the morning sun. At that time, another helicopter, a texhel-OH13E, N38099, piloted by ralph matthew williams was in the process of spraying an adjacent field from north to south. The flight path of N9010T took him over a ridge line that ran north to south with high trees on the west side. Upon passing over the trees, N9010T flew directly into the path of N38099 and a mid air collision ensued. Both helicopters received major structural damage and crashed. The helicopters came to rest approx. 100 yards apar, and both pilots were fatally injured. (-4)N38099 was flying southbound at 150 ft. AGL spraying herbicides. N9010T had just taken off from a flatbed truck heading north behind a gathering of trees 100 ft. tall. N9010T climb over the trees to an altitude of 150 ft. at a speed of 35 mph. He then turned east into the sun, directly into the flight path of N38099. Within seconds, N9010T collided with N38099, impacting it on its lower right side. Immediately after impacting, both helicopters descended to the ground and came to rest 100 yards apart.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1999, ABOUT 0730 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CONTINENTAL COPTERS, INC., TOMCAT MK5A, N9010T, AND A TEXAS HELICOPTERS CORP., OH-13E/M74, N38099, COLLIDED IN FLIGHT, OVER A FIELD IN HEFLIN, ALABAMA. BOTH HELICOPTERS WERE REGISTERED TO GULF HELICOPTERS, INC., AND OPERATED BY THE COMMERCIAL PILOTS UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLANS WERE FILED. THE PILOTS OF BOTH HELICOPTERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES, AND BOTH HELICOPTERS WERE DESTROYED. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, N38099 WAS FLYING SOUTH BOUND ABOUT 150 ABOVE THE GROUND SPRAYING HERBICIDES. N9010T, HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A FLATBED TRUCK HEADING NORTH BEHIND A STAND OF TREES ABOUT 100 FEET TALL. WITNESSES SAID THEY SAW N9010T CLIMB OVER THE STAND OF TREES TO ABOUT 150 FEET AND TURN EAST INTO THE SUN. WITHIN SECONDS BOTH HELICOPTERS COLLIDED AND FELL TO THE GROUND. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY DID NOT OBSERVE EITHER HELICOPTER TAKE ANY EVASIVE ACTION. (-23) ON SEPTMEBER 16, 1000 AT 0753 CDT, JOHN E. CUTTS TOOK OFF IN HIS CCOPTER-OH13E HELICOPTER, N9010T, FROM HIS AGRICULTURAL BASE NEXT TO STATE ROAD 66 IN CLEBURNE COUNTY, AL., TO CONDUCT AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS. THE FIELD HE WAS TO SPRAY WAS EAST OF HIS LOCATION AND HE DEPARTED EASTBOUND INTO THE MORNING SUN. AT THAT TIME, ANOTHER HELICOPTER, A TEXHEL-OH13E, N38099, PILOTED BY RALPH MATTHEW WILLIAMS WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SPRAYING AN ADJACENT FIELD FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. THE FLIGHT PATH OF N9010T TOOK HIM OVER A RIDGE LINE THAT RAN NORTH TO SOUTH WITH HIGH TREES ON THE WEST SIDE. UPON PASSING OVER THE TREES, N9010T FLEW DIRECTLY INTO THE PATH OF N38099 AND A MID AIR COLLISION ENSUED. BOTH HELICOPTERS RECEIVED MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND CRASHED. THE HELICOPTERS CAME TO REST APPROX. 100 YARDS APAR, AND BOTH PILOTS WERE FATALLY INJURED. (-4)N38099 WAS FLYING SOUTHBOUND AT 150 FT. AGL SPRAYING HERBICIDES. N9010T HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A FLATBED TRUCK HEADING NORTH BEHIND A GATHERING OF TREES 100 FT. TALL. N9010T CLIMB OVER THE TREES TO AN ALTITUDE OF 150 FT. AT A SPEED OF 35 MPH. HE THEN TURNED EAST INTO THE SUN, DIRECTLY INTO THE FLIGHT PATH OF N38099. WITHIN SECONDS, N9010T COLLIDED WITH N38099, IMPACTING IT ON ITS LOWER RIGHT SIDE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER IMPACTING, BOTH HELICOPTERS DESCENDED TO THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST 100 YARDS APART.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.
Other reports on N9010T · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.