# Accident 20211109018009A: Bell OH-58A, Holtville, CA, November 9, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 9, 2021, 04:00 local time
- Place: Holtville, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: FAYG
- Location: 32.6600° N, 115.6600° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6600&lon=-115.6600&mi=10
- Aircraft: N902SF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N902SF-2023-03-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell OH-58A (registry code 1181579, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison T63 series (registry code 03031, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-t63-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL OH-58A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,600 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR22LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA032) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211109018009A

## Narrative

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

HOLTVILLE, CA ON 11/9/2021, N902SF, A BELL OH-58, STRUCK A SPRINKLER IN THE FIELD WHILE PERFORMING 14CFR PART 137 CROP DUSTING OPERATIONS, THE HELICOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED. THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT AND WAS UN-INJURED DURING THE CRASH, THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED MAJOR DAMAGE.

## 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 WPR22LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA032), Nov 9, 2021: Bell OH-58A (N902SF), Holtville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control after becoming spatially disoriented when the helicopter entered low-level haze/fog.

## Other reports on N902SF (2)

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

- [Accident 20120121002419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120121002419A), Jan 21, 2012: Bell OH-58A (N902SF), Brawley, CA, No damage. Aero falcon OH-58 had a rotor mast failure just pior to lift -off of the aircraft, failure was internal of the main rotor transmission no damage to aircraft…
- [Accident 20080129009999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080129009999A), Jan 29, 2008: Bell OH58A (N902SF), Brawley, CA, Destroyed. (-23) The pilot of N902SF was conducting agricultural spraying operations at night. While flying between job sites the helicopter struck high tension power…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.