20030820034279A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell TH-13T · Light, AR · August 20, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal NTSB investigation search

Date: August 20, 2003 · 11:20 local
Place: Light, AR
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: NOSG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N38CD
Reported as: Bell TH13T
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,498 total360 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days

N38CDRegistration cancelled Nov 13, 2012 · Bell TH-13TS/N 3680 · Built 1967 Airframe modelBell TH-13T Engine modelLycoming VO-435 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) A Bell TH-13T helicopter, N38CD, was destroyed when it impacted the terrain during an FAR 137 re-positioning flight. A witness reported that the aircraft appeared to be flying normally, there was a significant decrease in engine noise followed by a very steep descent angle and the aircraft disappeared behind a tree line. During an interview with the national transportation safety board the pilot was unable to remember anything about the flight. The NTSB is planning an engine teardown/run.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) A BELL TH-13T HELICOPTER, N38CD, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN DURING AN FAR 137 RE-POSITIONING FLIGHT. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE FLYING NORMALLY, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN ENGINE NOISE FOLLOWED BY A VERY STEEP DESCENT ANGLE AND THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED BEHIND A TREE LINE. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT THE FLIGHT. THE NTSB IS PLANNING AN ENGINE TEARDOWN/RUN.

Other reports on N38CD · 1

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

Accident 19870906049849ASfl Autorotation · Enterprise, ALCollided with the runway during a practice autorotation approach. Unable to execute recovery before hitting runway.Sep 6, 1987 · Substantial damage