# NTSB CEN21LA169: Bell OH-58, N1045C, Pottsboro, TX, March 27, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 27, 2021, 17:25 local (22:25 UTC)
- Place: Pottsboro, TX
- Coordinates: 33.755615, -96.673141 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7556&lon=-96.6731&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 102827
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA169
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102827/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102827
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA169

## Probable cause

The pilot failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter when it encountered an unanticipated wind allowing it to drift into a fence and subsequently roll over and impact terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell OH-58, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1181501), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell OH-58, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=1181501), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell OH-58, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md?model=1181501), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell OH-58, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=1181501), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Bell OH-58, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=1181501), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Roll over](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097); cases with it: [Bell OH-58, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md?model=1181501), [All aircraft, 261 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that while in a hover and preparing to land in a field, wind caught the turbine-powered helicopter causing it to drift into a fence. The helicopter’s skid caught on the fence and the helicopter flipped over onto its right side, impacting terrain, and coming to rest on a driveway. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom, fuselage, and main rotor system. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. About 30 minutes before the accident, an automated weather reporting station located about 6 miles south of the accident side, reported wind from 220o at 6 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1045C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1045C), registered now, S/N 71-20527, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL OH-58
- Registry model: [Bell OH-58](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58) (registry code 1181501) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Allison T63-A-700](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-t63-a-700) (registry code 03086, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 71-20527
- Year built: 1972
- Engines: Allison T63-A-700 turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: Sherman, TX

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 72; injuries: minor; private; medical: class 3

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observed at: KGYI, 3 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 20210327004459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210327004459A), Mar 27, 2021: Bell OH-58, Pottsboro, TX, Substantial damage. Helicopter entered into pasture at the [privacy data omitted]. Drifted to the right of the pasture. Thereby hitting the t post with the skids of the…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 13, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102827. 367 KB in all.

- Statements (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 256 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12123388&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12267731&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201-Rel.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.