# NTSB LAX94LA084: Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74L, N38110, Los Banos, CA, December 28, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 28, 1993, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Los Banos, CA - Coordinates: 37.06948, -120.840217 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0695&lon=-120.8402&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 26, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28630 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX94LA084 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28630/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX94LA084 ## Probable cause A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO UTILIZE CARBURETOR HEAT. THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS WERE A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, maneuvering - aerial application - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions (contributing factor) - fuel system,carburetor - ice - carburetor heat - not used, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, descent - normal ## Analysis WHILE APPLYING HERBICIDE ON A COTTON FIELD UTILIZING A HELICOPTER EQUIPPED WITH A RECIPROCATING ENGINE AND CARBURETOR, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION TO THE FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, MAIN ROTOR BLADES, AND TAIL BOOM. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. ## Factual narrative On December 28, 1993, about 1200 hours Pacific standard time, a Texas Helicopters OH-13E/M74L, N38110, crashed while maneuvering about 3 miles southeast of Los Banos, California. The helicopter was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area aerial application flight under Title 14 CFR Part 137 when the accident occurred. The helicopter, operated by Bernard Gach, Merced, California, received substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from a field near the accident. The pilot reported that he was applying "Roundup" herbicide to a cotton field when the engine suddenly quit. The pilot indicated that the loss of engine power was due to carburetor ice. He made an emergency autorotation to the field and landed hard, damaging the landing gear, main rotors, and tail boom. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N38110](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38110), registered now, S/N 77-010 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74L (OH-13E/M74) - Registry model: [Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74](https://openairdocs.org/model/texas-helicopter-oh-13e-m74) (registry code 8930103) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 77-010 - Airframe hours: 4550 - Engines: LYCOMING TVO-435-D10 240 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Gach, Bernard - Registered owner: Gach, Bernard - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 18, 1993, 91 hours before ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 10,453 total, 4,263 in this make and model, 10,400 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 2 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19931228047319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19931228047319A), Dec 28, 1993: Bell OH13EM74, Los Banos, CA, Substantial damage. Engine quit while manuevering on a spray run. Impact hard on autoration landing. Chopped tail. Carburetor icing. ## Other investigations on N38110 (2) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB WPR10CA285](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA285), Jun 11, 2010: Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74 (N38110), Los Banos, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot's failure to verify the fuel quantity onboard. - [NTSB LAX81DUG52](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX81DUG52), Sep 25, 1981: Texas Hel OH-13E (N38110), Blythe, CA, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.