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20160521005689A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Bell OH-58C · Waitsburg, WA · May 21, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 21, 2016 · 09:00 local
Place
Waitsburg, WA
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
13MG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N543SD
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA16CA258
Reported as
Bell OH-58C
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
3,400 total600 in this make and model160 in the last 90 days
N543SDRegistration cancelled Oct 6, 2022 · Bell OH-58CS/N 70-15543Airframe modelBell OH-58C

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.

N543SD a restricted category OH-58 helicopter received substantial damage as the result of a wire-strike and hard landing. The helicopter received damage to the main rotor blades and the tail-boom was completely severed. No injuries resulted as the result of this accident. There were no mechanical deficiencies stated that would have contributed or been causal in this accident.

This aircraft was equipped with the military style wire strike protection; however the pilot stated that the powerline's upper static line wire had become entangled in the skid landing gear.

According to the pilot the helicopter was being operated under FAR part 137, (aerial application) at the time of the accident. No chemicals were being dispensed on this particular flight as the purpose was a scouting flight for wires.

Spray booms and hoper tank were installed on the helicopter at the time of the accident. The pilot does poses the applicable ratings and endorsements for 137 operations. In addition, the OH-58 helicopter is listed on a valid 137 operators opps.

As the FAA filed it

N543SD A RESTRICTED CATEGORY OH-58 HELICOPTER RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS THE RESULT OF A WIRE-STRIKE AND HARD LANDING. THE HELICOPTER RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND THE TAIL-BOOM WAS COMPLETELY SEVERED. NO INJURIES RESULTED AS THE RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES STATED THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED OR BEEN CAUSAL IN THIS ACCIDENT.

THIS AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH THE MILITARY STYLE WIRE STRIKE PROTECTION; HOWEVER THE PILOT STATED THAT THE POWERLINE'S UPPER STATIC LINE WIRE HAD BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE SKID LANDING GEAR.

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER FAR PART 137, (AERIAL APPLICATION) AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO CHEMICALS WERE BEING DISPENSED ON THIS PARTICULAR FLIGHT AS THE PURPOSE WAS A SCOUTING FLIGHT FOR WIRES.

SPRAY BOOMS AND HOPER TANK WERE INSTALLED ON THE HELICOPTER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT DOES POSES THE APPLICABLE RATINGS AND ENDORSEMENTS FOR 137 OPERATIONS. IN ADDITION, THE OH-58 HELICOPTER IS LISTED ON A VALID 137 OPERATORS OPPS.

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 GAA16CA258Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWaitsburg, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power line during low reconnaissance flight, which resulted in a power line strike, loss of control, and a subsequent hard landing.May 21, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N543SD · 1

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

Incident 20060927019649ILow Level Operations · Snoqualmie, WA(-23) [privacy data omitted] the pilot in command of N543SD on 09/27/2006 at approximately 1815 pacific daylight saving time struck a tree with the main rotor blade, while performing agricultural operations. Damage was limited to the outboard 2.5 inches of…Sep 27, 2006 · Minor damage