# Accident 20000111000479A: Bell OH58A, Crows Landing, CA, January 11, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: January 11, 2000, 21:00 local time - Place: Crows Landing, CA - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.3893° N, 121.0499° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3893&lon=-121.0499&mi=10 - Aircraft: N901SF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N901SF-2000-04-04) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bell OH-58A (registry code 1181579, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58a) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL OH58A - Reported engine: ALLSN T63A720 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 5,873 total, 147 in this make and model, 146 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00GA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00GA073) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000111000479A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON JANUARY 11, 2000, AT 2100 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN ARROW FALCON EXPORTERS, INC. OH-58A, N901SF, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN IN AN AGRICULTURAL FIELD 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CROWS LANDING, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT, WHO HELD A COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER CERTIFICATE, AND ONE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE HELICOPTER, OPERATED AS A PUBLIC-USE AIRCRAFT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 BY THE SAN FRANCISCO (CALIFORNIA) POLICE DEPARTMENT, WAS CONDUCTING A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED FROM PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA AT 1900 AND WAS DESTINED FOR SAN FRANCISCO. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ACCORDING TO POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL, THE HELICOPTER WAS FLOWN TO PORTERVILLE THE PRIOR DAY FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND DEPARTURE FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT WAS DELAYED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE PILOT RECEIVED A (PILOT) ABBREVIATED WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTURE AND WAS ADVISED THAT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT AND THAT VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WERE NOT RECOMMENDED. AT 2053, THE WEATHER AT MODESTO, 18 MILES NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, WAS: A FEW CLO UDS AT 200 FEET (AGL), BROKEN CLOUDS AT 2,500 FEET AND OVERCAST CLOUDS AT 3,000 FEET WITH VISIBILITY OF 2 STATUTE MILES IN FOG. EN ROUTE, THE PILOT ADVISED STOCKTON APPROACH CONTROL THAT HE INTENDED TO NAVIGATE VIA INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 5 AT 1,000 FEET ALTITUDE (MSL). HE LATER ADVISED HE WAS DESCENDING BELOW 1,000 FEET TO REMAIN CLEAR OF CLOUDS. RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY LOST. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN AN OPEN AGRICULTURAL FIELD ABOUT 2 MILES EAST OF HIGHWAY 5. THE WRECKAGE WAS DISTRIBUTED ALONG A LINEAR PATH APPROXIMATELY 350 FEET LONG ORIENTED APPROXIMATELY 210 DEGREES (MAGNETIC) WITH SEVERAL ROTOR BLADE LEADING EDGE SECTIONS AS FAR AS 600 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. (-23) ON 01-11-2000 AT APPROXIMATELY 20:58 HOURS PST, TWO AND ONE-HALF MILES SOUTHWEST OF CROWS LANDING, CALIFORNIA, A SAN FRANCISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT HELICOPTER, N901SF, AN OH-58A+, WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND WITH ONE PASSENGER, ALSO A SFPD OFFICER, ENROUTE FROM PORTERVILLE TO SAN FRANCISCO, CA, COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A PLOWED FARM FIELD, RESULTING IN TWO FATALITIES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGA TION INDICATED THAT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT THE HELICOPTER ENGINE WAS FUNCTIONAL AND UNDER POWER. A CONTINUITY CHECK OF THE HELICOPTER CONTROLS INDICATED THAT THEY WERE FUNCTIONAL PRIOR TO THE TIME OF IMPACT. TERRAIN SURFACE MARKINGS AND WRECKAGE DISTRIBUTION INDICATE THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A DESCENDING FOUR DEGREE NOSE DOWN AND FIVE DEGREE RIGHT BANKING TURN AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WITH APPROXIMATELY 80 KNOTS OF FORWARD SPEED. INITITAL POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INDICATES THAT THE ACCIDENT IS A RESULT OF CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO THE TERRAIN FOR AN UNSPECIFIED REASON. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED WITHOUT FURTHER ACTION. (-23)ON 01-11-2000 AT APPROXIMATELY 2058 HOURS PST, TWO AND ONE-HALF MILES SOUTHWEST OF CROWS LANDING, CALIFORNIA, A SAN FRANCISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT HELICOPTER, N901SF, AN OH-58A, WITH OFFICER ^PRIVACY DATA O^ ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND WITH ONE PASSENGER, ALSO SFPD OFFICER, ENROUTE FROM PORTERVILLE TO SAN FRANCISCO, CA, COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A PLOWED FARM FIELD, RESULTING IN TWO FATALITIES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INDICATED THAT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT THE HELICOPTER ENGINE WAS FUNCTIONAL AND UNDER POWER. A C ONTINUITY CHECK OF THE HELICOPTER CONTROLS INDICATED THAT THEY WERE FUNCTIONAL PRIOR TO THE TIME OF IMPACT. TERRAIN SURFACE MARKINGS AND WRECKAGE DISTRIBUTION INDICATE THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A DESCENDING FOUR DEGREE NOSE DOWN AND FIVE DEGREE RIGHT BANKING TURN AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WITH APPROXIMATELY 80 KNOTS OF FORWARD SPEED. INITIAL POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INDICATES THAT THE ACCIDENT IS A RESULT OF CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO THE TERRAIN FOR AN UNSPECIFIED REASON. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED WITHOUT FURTHER ACTION. (.4)ON JANUARY 11, 2000, AT 2100 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN ARROW FALCON EXPORTERS, INC. OH-58A HELICOPTER, N901SF, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN IN AN AGRICULTURAL FIELD 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CROWS LANDING, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE HELICOPTER, OPERATED AS A PUBLIC-USE AIRCRAFT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 BY THE SAN FRANCISCO (CALIFORNIA) POLICE DEPARTMENT (SFPD), WAS CONDUCTING A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED FROM PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AT 1915, AND WAS DESTINED FOR SAN FRANCISCO. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE NEAREST WEATHER REPORTING LOCATIONS AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ACCORDING TO POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL, THE HELICOPTER WAS FLOWN TO PORTERVILLE THE PRIOR DAY FOR ROUTINE (50-HOUR) MAINTENANCE. PORTERVILLE IS THE LOCATION OF ARROW FALCON EXPORTERS, INC., HOLDER OF THE HELICOPTER'S TYPE CERTIFICATE. PERSONNEL AT ARROW FALCON SAID THAT THE HELICOPTER ARRIVED IN PORTERVILLE ABOUT 1230 ON MONDAY, JANUARY 10. THE PILOT HAD INTENDED TO ARRIVE EARLIER (ABOUT 0730), BUT WAS DELAYED DEPARTING BY FOG IN SAN FRANCISCO. THEY DEPARTED FROM PORTERVILLE FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT AT 1915 ON JANUARY 11TH. THE PILOT'S WIFE SAID SHE SPOKE WITH HIM BETWEEN 1400 AND 1600 ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE ACCIDENT, BEFORE HE LEFT PORTERVILLE. SHE DID NOT RECALL ANYTHING IN THE CONVERSATION THAT SUGGESTED HE FELT HE WAS UNDER PRESSURE TO RETURN. HE ASKED HER ABOUT THE WEATHER, AND SHE TOLD HIM THERE WAS A STORM APPROACHING AND TO WAIT ANOTHER NIGHT IN PORTERVILLE IF NECESSARY. EN ROUTE, IN PROXIMITY OF LOS BANOS, THE PILOT ADVISED STOCKTON APPROACH CONTROL THAT HE INTENDED TO NAVIGATE VIA INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 5 AT 1,000 FEET ALTITUDE (MSL). RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WITH THE HELICOPTER WERE SUBSEQUENTLY LOST. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED THE FOLLOWING MORNING. RECORDED RADAR TRACK DATA (CONTINUOUS DATA RECORDING, CDR) WAS OBTAINED FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) STOCKTON TERMINAL RADAR APPROACH CONTROL (TRACON) FACILITY (ATTACHED). AT 2052:09, THE HELICOPTER WAS 3 MILES WEST OF THE TOWN OF GUSTINE, AND ABOUT 1 MILE EAST OF HIGHWAY 5. IN THE NEXT MINUTE THE AIRCRAFT TRACK VEERED NORTHEAST, AWAY FROM HIGHWAY 5, AND, IN THE FOLLOWING MINUTE, THE TRACK MADE A WIDE LEFT TURN TO A NORTHWESTERLY HEADING, WHICH PLACED THE HELICOPTER BACK ON A CONVERGING HEADING WITH HIGHWAY 5 FROM ABOUT 2.5 MILES EAST OF THE HIGHWAY. AT 2056, THE TRACK WAS BACK NEAR HIGHWAY 5 AND PROCEEDED NORTHBOUND ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. AT 2056:59, THE TRACK WAS APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE EAST OF HIGHWAY 5 AND, IN THE NEXT MINUTE, THE TRACK MADE A RIGHT-HAND TURN TO A SOUTH-SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING AT WHICH TIME RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE AT 2058:00. IN THE SAME 6-MINUTE PERIOD, THE HELICOPTER'S MODE-C ALTITUDE READOUT VARIED FROM 500 FEET (MSL), DOWN TO 300 FEET, THEN UP TO 800 FEET, THEN DOWN TO 300 FEET, UP TO 600 FEET, DOWN TO 400 FEET, AND THEN UP TO 700 FEET BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 600 FEET. ## 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 LAX00GA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00GA073), Jan 12, 2000: Arrow OH-58A (N901SF), Crows Landing, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain altitude and clearance from terrain during a turn to reverse direction after encountering instrument meteorological conditions. A factor in the accident was the… 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.