# Accident 20100731040539A: Garlick Hel OH-58A+, Kountze, TX, July 31, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 31, 2010, 12:00 local time
- Place: Kountze, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: C33G
- Location: 30.4097° N, 94.2397° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4097&lon=-94.2397&mi=10
- Aircraft: N305SD (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: GARLICK HEL OH-58A+
- Reported engine: ALLISON T63-A-720
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 13,000 total, 8,000 in this make and model, 300 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN10LA455](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA455) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100731040539A

## Narrative

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

ON 31 JULY 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 HOURS, A OH -58 HELICOPTER WAS OPERATING UNDER CFR PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION, NEAR KOUNTZE TEXAS WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER.THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS SPRAYING PINE TREES AND HAD TURNED BACK FOR ANOTHER PASS, WHEN HE THE AIRCRAFT QUICKLY YAWED TO THE LEFT AND BACK RIGHT AND BACK TO THE LEFT AGAIN. THE ENGINE THEN SHUT DOWN, THE PILOT MADE A RADIO CALL ON THE COMPANY FREQUENCY THAT "HE WAS GOING DOWN".  THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CLEAR SOME TALL TREES AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE HELICOPTER IN A CLEARING NEXT TO THE FOREST. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND TAIL FIRST AS THE PILOT REPORTED HE ATTEMPTED TO DO A QUICK STOP MANEUVER FOR THE LANDING. THE FUSELAGE IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD, AND TURNED 180 DEGREES FROM THE INITIAL HEADING. THE AFT PORTION OF THE HELICOPTER RIPPED AND TWISTED 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION DECK TO FOLD INTO THE PILOTS' COMPARTMENT. THE TAIL BOOM WAS BROKEN OFF FROM THE FUSELAGE AND WAS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE WRECKAGE; MARKS INDICATED THAT THE TAIL BOOM HAD SUSTAINED HITS FROM THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES.THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CRAWL FROM THE WRECKAGE AND WAITED TILL HIS SUPPORT CREW ARRIVED.THE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AIR AMBULANCE AND WAS RELEASED LATER IN THE DAY WITH A CRACKED VERTEBRA IN HIS BACK.

## 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 CEN10LA455](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA455), Jul 31, 2010: Garlick OH-58A (N305SD), Kountze, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s improper fuel planning.

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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