# Incident 20181027020929I: Bell OH-58A, Carson City, NV, October 27, 2018

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 27, 2018, 15:00 local time
- Place: Carson City, NV
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.2089° N, 119.8047° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2089&lon=-119.8047&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1032F, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1032F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell OH-58A (registry code 1181579, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL OH-58A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,200 total, 2,023 in this make and model, 49 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA039) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181027020929I

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT OPERATED BY WASHOE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE (PUBLIC USE) IN SUPPPORT TO U.S. SECRET SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS A RESOURCE FOR SECURITY OPERATIONS REGARDING A VPOTUS VISIT TO THE LOCAL AREA.

AIRCRAFT CONDUCTED SECURITY OPERATIONS PRIOR TO AF2 LANDING AT KRNO AIRPORT.  AIRCRAFT LANDED BACK AT KRNO WAITING FOR ARRIVAL OF AF2.  AFTER AF2 LANDING HELICOPTER DEPARTED TO BEGIN ROUTE CLEARING FROM KRNO TO CXP VIA I-580 AND SURFACE STREETS.

AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING BETWEEN 300-400' AGL THROUGH WASHOE VALLEY

SOUTH END OF VALLEY, TERRAIN RISES 200' AND I-580 / US 395 GOES THROUGH A SMALL MOUNTAIN PASS.

AS AIRCRAFT NEARED THIS AREA AN UNSECURED SECTION OF I-580 / US 395 HAD A UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLE PULLING ONTO SOUTHBOUND LANES.

VPOTUS MOTORCADE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 TO  75 MPH AS STATED BY THE GROUND UNIT AT THE FRONT OF THE MOTORCADE.

AIRCRAFT MOVED DIRECTLY TOWARDS UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLE TO PREPARE FOR INTERCEPT.  PILOT IDENTIFIED WIRES IN FRONT OF AIRCRAFT (EST. 20 FEET).

PILOT MADE EMERGENCY DESCENT TO AVOID COLLISION WITH THE WIRES, BUT DID CONTACT AND SEVER THE WIRES WITH THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM

THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED ALL 3 INDIVIDUAL UNMARKED 1 INCH DIAMETER ALUMINUM HIGH TENSION (120KV) WIRES WITH THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE ON ONE BLADE NEAR THE TIP AND SCRAPING DAMAGE TO THE SECOND BLADE.

PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO THE NORTHBOUND LANES OF I-580 / US 395 TO PREVENT ANY DELAY TO THE MOTORCADES PROGRESS.

NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED

WIRES ARE NOT DEPICTED ON SAN FRANCISCO VFR SECTIONAL. WIRES WERE LESS THAN 499 FEET AGL.

## 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 GAA19CA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA039), Oct 27, 2018: Bell OH 58A (N1032F), Carson City, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering at a low altitude in hilly terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inability to determine the airplane’s…

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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