- Date
- January 21, 1989, 10:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Wichita Falls, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N88785Hiller OH-23B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890121001039A
- Case key
- 22829
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper use of the carburetor heat during flight and his improper flare during an autorotative landing. Contributing factors were: carburetor icing conditions, improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, a tailwind during the landing, and the pilot's lack of recent experience.
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.
Analysis
The plt rprtd that after he had flown about 45 min, he landed at the Wichita valley arpt, then took off for a rtrn flt to holliday, TX. Shortly after departing the Wichita valley arpt, while en route at about 500' AGL, the eng 'missed a few times.' The plt turned to land at the arpt, but the eng subsequently lost all power. The plt made an autorotative landing in a wheat field; however, drg the landing, the helicopter touched down hard & was damaged. The landing was on a northerly heading. The 1001 CST wind at Wichita Falls was from 180 deg at 10 KTS. No preimpact mechanical problem was found drg the investigation. The temp & dew point were 49 & 24 deg, respectively. According to carb icing charts, conditions were conducive for carb icing. The plt rprtd he was operating with the carb heat aprx 1/4 'on.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88785
- Reported as
- Hiller OH-23B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 560
- Engine
- Franklin O-335-6, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- S & F Helo Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- S & F Helicopter Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- F14 · Wichita Falls, TX
- Destination
- NONE · Holliday, TX
- Airport
- F14 · Wichita Valley
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 53 total · 50 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.