# Accident 19990926030579A: Bell OH58A, Ratcliff, TX, September 26, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 26, 1999, 07:50 local time
- Place: Ratcliff, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: KFZG
- Location: 31.3906° N, 95.1304° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.3906&lon=-95.1304&mi=10
- Aircraft: N523SP (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL OH58A
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 12,700 total, 700 in this make and model, 300 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99LA255](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA255) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990926030579A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1999, AT 0740 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL OH-58A AGRICULTURAL HELICOPTER, N523SP, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED A TREE WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR RATCLIFF, TEXAS. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AND OPERATED BY NORTHSTAR HELICOPTERS INC., OF JASPER, TEXAS.  THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER, WAS NOT INJURED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM JASPER, TEXAS, AT 0700.ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO APPLY ARSENOL TO PINE TRESS.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS APPLYING THE FOURTH LOAD OF THE MORNING AND WAS TURNING THE HELICOPTER FROM THE SOUTH TOWARDS THE EAST WHEN HE BECAME DISTRACTED DUE TO THE "SUN, AND MAKING AN INPUT INTO THE GPS RECEIVER."  THE TAILROTOR BLADES OF THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED TREES, AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND.  THE OPERATOR ADDED THAT THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME.                                                                                                                              (.4)THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED A TREE DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS TURNING FROM THE SOUTH TOWARD THE EAST WHEN HE BECAME DISTRACTED DUE TO THE 'SUN, AND MAKING AN INPUT INTO THE GPS RECEIVER.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TAILROTOR BLADES CONTACTED A TREE, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND THE TAILBOOM SEPARATED.                             (-23)THE PILOT REPRTED FLYING SOUTH ABOVE A NEW STAND OF PINE TREES IN AN EFFORT TO LINE UP FOR AN AERIAL APPLICATION.  IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 0730 AM.  HE STATED THE SUN WAS SHINING FORM HIS LEFT FRONT, THAT PRODUCED A GLARE PREVENTING HIM FROM SEEING A PINE TREE THAT WAS APPROXIAMTELY 100 FEET HIGHER THAN THE SURROUNDING TREES.  HE STARTED A RIGHT TURN, AT THE SAME TIME REACHING SOWN TO SET THE GPS (SO THAT HE COULD MARK THE BEGINNING POINT OF THE CHEMICAL APPLICATION).  IN MAKING THE TURN, THE TAIL ROTOR IMPATCHED THE LONE TALL PINE TREE.  THE AIRCRAFT'S TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE TREE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.

## 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 FTW99LA255](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA255), Sep 26, 1999: Bell OH-58A (N523SP), Ratcliff, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the tree while maneuvering during an aerial application flight. Factors were the sunglare, and the pilot's diverted attention while adjusting the GPS…

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.

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