- Date
- January 29, 2008, 20:45 local (Jan 30, 2008, 04:45 UTC)
- Place
- Brawley, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N902SFBell OH-58A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080129009999A
- Case key
- 67461
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 from obstacles. A factor in the accident was the dark night conditions.
Findings · 3
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 was spraying fields at night. He had just completed spraying a field and was climbing out to move to a second field when the helicopter collided with unmarked high tension electrical wires. He felt the impact and was momentarily blinded by the bright electrical flash. The pilot reported that the helicopter was out of control and after about 2 or 3 seconds, the helicopter impacted the ground. After impact, he unbuckled his seatbelt and exited the helicopter. He reported that the engine was still running and he continued to experience some blindness. The pilot walked a few steps away from the helicopter before his regained his vision. He looked back at the helicopter to make sure there was no fire, and then went back to it, and shut it down. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the helicopter. The pilot said he had been spraying in this area for years and was aware of the general location of the power lines in the area.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was spraying fields at night, and prior to the accident he had just completed spraying a field. During the transition climb out to the second field, the helicopter struck high tension electrical wires. He felt the impact and knew that he was going to crash. The pilot reported the helicopter was out of control and he was momentarily blinded by the flash from the electrical wires. He regained his eyesight and noted that the helicopter was rolling to the right and flying in a curved direction. After about 2 or 3 seconds, the helicopter impacted the ground. After impact, the pilot unbuckled his seatbelt and exited the helicopter. He reported that the engine was still running and he continued to experience some blindness. The pilot walked a few steps away from the helicopter before his regained his vision. He looked back at the helicopter to make sure there was no fire, and went back to it, and shut it down.
The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the helicopter.
The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge interviewed the pilot, he stated that he had been spraying in this area for years and was aware of the power lines in the area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N902SF
- Reported as
- Bell OH-58A
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 70-15406
- Airframe hours
- 6,472.1
- Engine
- Allison T63, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Farm Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Farm Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 1, 2008
- Departed
- BWC · Brawley, CA
- Destination
- BWC
- Airport
- BWC · Brawley Muni
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 16,600 total · 6,000 in this make and model · 16,600 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 290° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N902SF · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.