Bell OH-58A N9254R
16 July 1999 · Bastrop, Louisiana, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 16 July 1999 at about 13:34 local time, a Bell OH-58A registered N9254R was involved in an accident near Bastrop, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:34
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Bastrop, Louisiana, United States
- Coordinates
- 32.7708, -91.9009
- Aircraft
- Bell OH-58A
- Registration
- N9254R
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Application
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW99LA191
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The failure of the refueling truck's filter to separate water resulting in the water contamination in the helicopter's fuel system and subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The helicopter experienced a total loss of engine power due to a contaminated fuel system. Days prior to the accident flight, the refueling truck had been contaminated with water, and the accident helicopter had been filled with the contaminated fuel. The pilot and ground crew became aware of the situation and sumped both the truck and the helicopter. The pilot thought that the helicopter's fuel system was free of the contaminated fuel. During the accident flight, the engine lost power, the pilot initiated an autorotation, and the helicopter impacted pine trees. The FAA inspector observed water and algae in the helicopter's fuel filters. The operator stated that the refueling truck's water filter failed to separate the water from the fuel during the fueling operations. After the accident, the operator installed water/fuel separators in all the refueling trucks in addition to the filters that were already in place as an extra measure of safety.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell OH-58A accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Sep 1999 | Bell OH-58A | Ratcliff, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 May 1999 | Bell OH-58A | Poplar Bluff, Missouri, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 6 Nov 1999 | Bell OH-58A | La Puente, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 7 Dec 1998 | Bell OH-58A | N. Little Rock, Arkansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Apr 1998 | Bell OH-58A | Huron, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 11 Feb 2000 | Bell OH-58A+ | Woods Cross, Utah, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Oct 1999 | Cessna TU206A | Jeanerette, Louisiana, United States | Skydive Acadiana | No injuries | - |
| 29 Oct 1999 | Cessna 172M | Pineville, Louisiana, United States | Most High Aviation | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 1999 | Grumman G-164B | Jennings, Louisiana, United States | Ronald D. Taylor | No injuries | - |
| 30 Oct 1999 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Bogalusa, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Dec 1999 | Cessna 172L | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Jun 1999 | Wsk Pzl Mielec M-18A | Basile, Louisiana, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |