20170507008699A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Rotorcraft Development OH-58A+ · Waterloo, IL · May 7, 2017

Date: May 7, 2017 · 14:50 local
Place: Waterloo, IL
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: K4GG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N993YC
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA17CA265
Reported as: Rotorcraft Development OH-58A+
Reported engine: Allison T63-A-720
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,556 total456 in this make and model31 in the last 90 days

N993YCRegistration cancelled Sep 20, 2018 · Rotorcraft Development OH-58A+S/N 71-20367 · Built 1971 Airframe modelRotorcraft Development OH-58A+Engine modelAllison T63-A-720Turbo-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 may 07, 2017 at approximately 1450CST OH-58A+ helicopter, N993YC contacted power lines while performing aerial spraying operations which caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft. The aircraft crashed and landed in the field approximately 300 feet west of the obstructed power lines. The aircraft was located approximately 25 ft. off the road (3817'47.68N, 9013'59.27W) and was positioned on its right side with the nose facing the north. The aircraft took substantial damage and there were pieces of the power line wrapped around the main rotor and tail rotor. After a search of the area for parts that had departed the aircraft, the main rotor blade was discovered approximately 90 ft. south east of the aircraft current location and the wire strike protection system (wsps) was discovered approximately 75 ft. west of the aircraft current location. The wsps showed no evidence that the system made contact with the power lines during the accident. There were no reported injuries.

As the FAA filed it

ON MAY 07, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 1450CST OH-58A+ HELICOPTER, N993YC CONTACTED POWER LINES WHILE PERFORMING AERIAL SPRAYING OPERATIONS WHICH CAUSED THE PILOT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AND LANDED IN THE FIELD APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET WEST OF THE OBSTRUCTED POWER LINES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 25 FT. OFF THE ROAD (3817'47.68N, 9013'59.27W) AND WAS POSITIONED ON ITS RIGHT SIDE WITH THE NOSE FACING THE NORTH. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THERE WERE PIECES OF THE POWER LINE WRAPPED AROUND THE MAIN ROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR. AFTER A SEARCH OF THE AREA FOR PARTS THAT HAD DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE WAS DISCOVERED APPROXIMATELY 90 FT. SOUTH EAST OF THE AIRCRAFT CURRENT LOCATION AND THE WIRE STRIKE PROTECTION SYSTEM (WSPS) WAS DISCOVERED APPROXIMATELY 75 FT. WEST OF THE AIRCRAFT CURRENT LOCATION. THE WSPS SHOWED NO EVIDENCE THAT THE SYSTEM MADE CONTACT WITH THE POWER LINES DURING THE ACCIDENT. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES.

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 GAA17CA265Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWaterloo, ILThe pilot’s failure to see and avoid transmission wires while maneuvering at a low altitude.May 7, 2017 · Substantial damage