- Date
- July 30, 2003, 07:20 local (14:20 UTC)
- Place
- Tulare, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N51852Texas Helicopter OH-13E-M74
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 57610
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 failure to maintain clearance with the wires due to an inadequate visual lookout.
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 helicopter collided with power lines during an aerial application. The pilot was on his nineteenth pass over the field, traveling eastbound. Power lines were located on the east and west side of the road. There was a pole about 75 feet tall, and the top 6 feet contained three wires. The top wire, a black colored insulator wire, was located 3 feet from the top of the pole. The pilot located the outbox on the pole and determined he would fly above the box to clear all of the wires. As he flew over the lines, the helicopter impacted the insulator wire about 1/2 foot above the cockpit floor. The helicopter slid along the wire and then the wire broke from the insulator at the next pole. The poles were placed about 300 feet apart. As the helicopter impacted the ground, the left skid hit first, followed by the main rotor.
Factual narrative
On July 30, 2003, at 0720 Pacific daylight time, a Texas Helicopter Corporation OH-13E/M74 WASP, N51852, collided with power lines during an aerial application near Tulare, California. The pilot was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 137. The commercial pilot was not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions existed during the flight and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed from the local area about 0600.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the pilot was on his nineteenth pass over the field, traveling eastbound. Power lines were located on the east and west side of the field. The power lines were attached to poles about 75 feet tall, and the top 6 feet of each pole contained three wires. The top wire, a black colored insulator wire, was located 3 feet from the top of the pole. The pilot located the outbox on the pole and determined he would fly above the box to clear all of the wires. As he flew over the lines, the helicopter impacted the insulator wire about 1/2 foot above the cockpit floor. The helicopter slid along the wire and then the wire broke from the insulator at the next pole. The poles were about 300 feet apart. As the helicopter impacted the ground, the left skid hit first, followed by the main rotor.
In a written report, the pilot stated that "paying more attention" would prevent future accidents.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51852
- Reported as
- Texas Helicopter OH-13E-M74
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 78020
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-BIA, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- James Costa
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Tulare, CA
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
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 5,875 total · 4,175 in this make and model · 400 in the last 90 days · 125 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KMRY
Other investigations on N51852 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.