20131023020529A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell OH-58C · Omaha, TX · October 23, 2013

Date: October 23, 2013 · 08:25 local
Place: Omaha, TX
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: DYLG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N911CC
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN14LA022
Reported as: Bell OH-58C
Reported engine: Allison T63 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 9,646 total5,000 in this make and model211 in the last 90 days

N911CCRegistered now · Bell OH-58CS/N 68-16800 · Built 1970 Airframe modelBell 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.

On October 23, 2013, the pilot was conducting aerial application northwest of Omaha, TX. He went to touchdown on a hilltop when a skid dug into the ground and spun the helicopter around cutting off the tail boom in the process. He reported that he was uninjured. The helicopter came to rest upright with substantial damage to the helicopter and sprayers, but no noticeable damage or leaks of the application tank.

As the FAA filed it

ON OCTOBER 23, 2013, THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION NORTHWEST OF OMAHA, TX. HE WENT TO TOUCHDOWN ON A HILLTOP WHEN A SKID DUG INTO THE GROUND AND SPUN THE HELICOPTER AROUND CUTTING OFF THE TAIL BOOM IN THE PROCESS. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS UNINJURED. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST UPRIGHT WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER AND SPRAYERS, BUT NO NOTICEABLE DAMAGE OR LEAKS OF THE APPLICATION TANK.

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 CEN14LA022Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOmaha, TXThe pilot’s failure to assess and compensate for the landing surface, which included high grass and loose dirt.Oct 23, 2013 · Substantial damage