# Accident 20200514006229A: Bell OH-58C, Livingston, NY, May 14, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 14, 2020, 03:30 local time
- Place: Livingston, NY
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.1681° N, 73.8128° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1681&lon=-73.8128&mi=10
- Aircraft: N183MP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N183MP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell OH-58C (registry code 1181580, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20C (registry code 03082, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL OH-58C
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 4,379 total, 565 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20CA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA184) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200514006229A

## Narrative

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

ON 05-14-2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 03:30 AM EST, WHILE EN-ROUTE TO ITS DESTINATION IN THE TOWN OF LIVINGSTON, NEW YORK, A BELL OH-58C HELICOPTER N183MP S/N71-20666 CERTIFICATED IN THE EXPERIMENTAL EXHIBITION CATEGORY, CONTACTED A DENSE ROW OF TREES RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASH LANDED INTO AN ADJACENT FIELD AND SUFFERED MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM, TRAIL ROTOR SYSTEM, FUSELAGE AND TAIL SECTIONS. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DID NOT SUFFER ANY INJURIES.

## 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 ERA20CA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA184), May 14, 2020: Bell OH-58C (N183MP), Livingston, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance while maneuvering at low altitude at night, which resulted in the helicopter striking a tree.

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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