# NTSB CEN14LA022: Bell OH-58C, N911CC, Omaha, TX, October 23, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 23, 2013, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC) - Place: Omaha, TX - Coordinates: 33.169723, -94.739959 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1697&lon=-94.7400&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 23, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, North Texas FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 88326 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA022 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88326/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88326 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA022 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to assess and compensate for the landing surface, which included high grass and loose dirt. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 267 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) - [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Bell OH-58C, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1181580), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that, as the airplane was on approach to land on a field during an aerial application flight, the helicopter's left skid dug into the field's high grass and loose dirt. The helicopter spun around, and the main rotor contacted the tail boom. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On October 23, 2013, about 0830 central daylight time, a Bell OH-58C, N911CC, impacted terrain during a hard landing on a field near Omaha, Texas. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom and main rotor blade(s). The commercial pilot was uninjured. The helicopter was registered to an individual and operated by Reynolds Aviation under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated from Winnsboro, Texas, at 0700 and was destined for Omaha, Texas. The pilot stated that he was approaching to land with a load of chemical when the left skid dug into high grass and loose dirt. The helicopter spun around, and the main rotor contacted the tail boom. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction/failure with the helicopter. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N911CC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N911CC), registered now, S/N 68-16800, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL OH-58C - Registry model: [Bell OH-58C](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58c) (registry code 1181580) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison T63 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-t63-series) (registry code 03031, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 68-16800 - Year built: 1970 - Airframe hours: 10287 - Engines: Allison T63-A720 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Individual, doing business as Reynolds Aviation - Registered owner: Individual - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, September 24, 2013 - Departed: Winnsboro, TX - Destination: Omaha, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; commercial, flight engineer; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 30, 2013; seat: right; flight hours: 9,646 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 211 in the last 90 days, 76 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: OSA, 10 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20131023020529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131023020529A), Oct 23, 2013: Bell OH-58C, Omaha, TX, Substantial damage. On October 23, 2013, the pilot was conducting aerial application northwest of Omaha, TX. He went to touchdown on a hilltop when a skid dug into the ground and… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88326. 3.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403263&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.