20200218000199A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell OH-58A · El Centro, CA · February 18, 2020

Date: February 18, 2020 · 19:15 local
Place: El Centro, CA
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: LSUG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N288NS
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20CA092
Reported as: Bell OH-58A
Reported engine: Allison T63 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,700 total700 in this make and model300 in the last 90 days

N288NSRegistered now · Bell OH-58AS/N 70-15288 · Built 1970 Airframe modelBell OH-58A 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.

At approximately 19:15 PST, the pilot was performing an aerial application at alamitos 6 b. pilot had a final load onboard and took off into the wind. Pilot made a downwind pass and climbed over the power wires and made a turn northbound after clearing the wires and entering the field. The pilot was unable to keep the helicopter flying and subsequently the rotor blade impacted the ground causing the helicopter to crash.

As the FAA filed it

AT APPROXIMATELY 19:15 PST, THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING AN AERIAL APPLICATION AT ALAMITOS 6 B. PILOT HAD A FINAL LOAD ONBOARD AND TOOK OFF INTO THE WIND. PILOT MADE A DOWNWIND PASS AND CLIMBED OVER THE POWER WIRES AND MADE A TURN NORTHBOUND AFTER CLEARING THE WIRES AND ENTERING THE FIELD. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER FLYING AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE ROTOR BLADE IMPACTED THE GROUND CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO CRASH.

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 WPR20CA092Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportColexico, CAThe pilot's failure to arrest the descent rate while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in impact with terrain.Feb 19, 2020 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N288NS · 1

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

Accident 20160722011409AManeuver · Lake Mills, IAA part 137 crop dusting aircraft hit a power line. The location of the accident occurred southwest of Lake Mills, IA and the pilot was not injured. At approximately 1600 local time, N288NS was engaged in aerial application of chemical to a bean field. The…Jul 22, 2016 · Substantial damage