20031207036139A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell OH-58A · Ruskin, FL · December 7, 2003

Date: December 7, 2003 · 15:41 local
Place: Ruskin, FL
Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N62939
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04TA047
Reported as: Bell OH58A
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,100 total400 in this make and model72 in the last 90 days

N62939Registration cancelled Aug 11, 2005 · Bell OH-58AS/N 72-21449 Airframe modelBell OH-58A

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) On December 7, 2003 at 1545 eastern standard time during routine police operations helicopter engine power went to idle power. The pilot was not able to advance power above idle and made an autorotation that resulted in a collision with the ground in a marshy area. The aircraft was destroyed. The pilot and passenger were not injured in the accident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON DECEMBER 7, 2003 AT 1545 EASTERN STANDARD TIME DURING ROUTINE POLICE OPERATIONS HELICOPTER ENGINE POWER WENT TO IDLE POWER. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO ADVANCE POWER ABOVE IDLE AND MADE AN AUTOROTATION THAT RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE GROUND IN A MARSHY AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL04TA047Accident · No injuriesFinal reportRuskin, FLLoss of engine power due to undertermined reasons which resulted in a collision with terrain.Dec 7, 2003 · Substantial damage