# Incident 20200916016739I: Bell OH-58A, Sells, AZ, September 16, 2020

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 16, 2020, 12:00 local time
- Place: Sells, AZ
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.9209° N, 111.8709° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Sells, AZ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9209&lon=-111.8709&mi=10
- Aircraft: N376SD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N376SD-2021-03-02) (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
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200916016739I

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING SURVEILLANCE MISSION FOR BORDER PATROL AND HAD DESCENDED FROM 1500 FEET TO APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET WHEN THE ENGINE OUT HORN SOUNDED.  A VISUAL CHECK OF THE GAUGES SHOWED THE ENGINE OUT LIGHT ILLUMINATED.  PILOTS NOTED NO STRANGE SOUNDS OR YAW TENDENCIES.  PIC NOTED THE NEEDLE SPLIT ON THE ENGINE GAUGE.  THE CREW ORIENTED THE AIRCRAFT ON TO A JEEP TRAIL, EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION, AND EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING.

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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