- Date
- July 8, 1983, 07:35 local (12:35 UTC)
- Place
- Cedarville, AR
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N68040Texas Helicopter OH-13-EM-7A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830708029769A
- Case key
- 20746
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Misc eqpt/furnishings - inadequateCause
Hydraulic system - jammedCause
Hydraulic system - improperCause
Loss of control - in flight
In flight collision with object
Object - tree(s)
Analysis
The pilot was using an improvised hydraulic vertical saw to trim limbs & brush from powerlines. The saw blades appear to have malfunctioned while the helicopter was maneuvering. The pilot jettisoned the saw, but the quick disconnect hoses failed to release and the helicopter veered into the trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N68040
- Reported as
- Texas Helicopter OH-13-EM-7A (OH-13-EM-7)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 76001
- Airframe hours
- 1,205
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-B1B3, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 137
- Operator
- James Randol Rogers
- Registered owner
- Pea Ridge Leasing Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 5, 1983 · 205 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.