20120827020689A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Arrow Falcon Exporters OH-58C · Escalon, CA · August 27, 2012

Date: August 27, 2012 · 08:03 local
Place: Escalon, CA
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: VFEG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N503DR
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12LA371
Reported as: Arrow Falcon Exporters OH-58C
Reported engine: Allison 250
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 20,000 total13,075 in this make and model400 in the last 90 days

N503DRRegistered now · Arrow Falcon Exporters OH-58CS/N 71-20679 · Built 2005 Airframe modelArrow Falcon Exporters OH-58C Engine modelAllison T63 seriesTurbo-shaft

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.

Pilot concluding first aerial spray operation of the day. Witness states aircraft in steep rt. Hand bank, EST. 50FT above orchard when rotorcraft disappeared from sight. Local orchard workers first on scene. Aircraft laying on rt side with pilot still on board. Emrgengy personnel and local sheriff,s dept. Notified. Emergency personnel shut off aircraft electrical and fuel power power prior to removing pilot.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT CONCLUDING FIRST AERIAL SPRAY OPERATION OF THE DAY. WITNESS STATES AIRCRAFT IN STEEP RT. HAND BANK, EST. 50FT ABOVE ORCHARD WHEN ROTORCRAFT DISAPPEARED FROM SIGHT. LOCAL ORCHARD WORKERS FIRST ON SCENE. AIRCRAFT LAYING ON RT SIDE WITH PILOT STILL ON BOARD. EMRGENGY PERSONNEL AND LOCAL SHERIFF,S DEPT. NOTIFIED. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL SHUT OFF AIRCRAFT ELECTRICAL AND FUEL POWER POWER PRIOR TO REMOVING PILOT.

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 WPR12LA371Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEscalon, CAThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during a low-altitude agricultural application, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with the ground.Aug 27, 2012 · Substantial damage