- Date
- July 10, 2016, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Surprise, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N588MPBell OH 58
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160710011929A
- Case key
- 93597
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
While at a low altitude, the pilot's decision to do an abrupt descending right downwind turn which resulted in flying through his own vortices and an impact with terrain.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of an aerial application helicopter reported that after spraying a field he noticed that he missed a portion of the field. The pilot further reported that he maneuvered at a low altitude to the south end of the field, made a quick right turn to the north, dove into the field at approximately 45 knots, flew into his own vortices, and impacted the terrain. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of an aerial application helicopter reported that after spraying a field he noticed that he missed a portion of the field. The pilot further reported that he maneuvered at a low altitude to the south end of the field, made a quick right turn to the north, dove into the field at approximately 45 knots, flew into his own vortices, and impacted the terrain. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N588MP
- Reported as
- Bell OH 58 (A)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 72-21432
- Built
- 1972
- Airframe hours
- 10,029
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 5, 2016
- Departed
- Buckeye, AZ
- Destination
- Buckeye, AZ
- Equipment
- None
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
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 11, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 2,301.1 total · 800 in this make and model · 2,180.1 as pilot in command · 114.8 in the last 90 days · 23.3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 104 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- KLUF, 3 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.