- Date
- September 6, 1992, 09:10 local (16:10 UTC)
- Place
- Chandler, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N38099Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920906035529A
- Case key
- 27756
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 misjudging the performance and weight and balance data of the helicopter prior to departure. Contributing to the accident was a failure of the pilot to jettison the chemical load.
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
After receiving fuel and reloading with a chemical herbicide, the helicopter was departing a landing/loading platform mounted on a truck, to continue agricultural spray operations. As the helicopter left the platform, the pilot was unable to maintain altitude and jettison the chemical load. The helicopter settled into a cotton field and rolled onto its left side. Examination of weight and balance, and performance charts revealed that the helicopter should have been able to maintain flight. The pilot reported that his recommendation to prevent this accident was to not overload the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38099
- Reported as
- Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 77-006
- Airframe hours
- 2,628
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-435-A1F, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Flight Services Inc.
- Registered owner
- Flight Services Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 26, 1992 · 37 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Chandler, AZ
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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 3,680 total · 480 in this make and model · 3,507 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 65 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °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 N38099 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.