Bell OH-58A N38FA

Summary

On 4 April 2003 at about 13:55 local time, a Bell OH-58A registered N38FA was involved in an accident near Calipatria, California, 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.

Date

4 April 2003 at 13:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Calipatria, California, United States

Nearest airport

Cliff Hatfield Memorial (CLR)

Coordinates

33.1167, -115.6667

Aircraft

Bell OH-58A

Registration

N38FA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Calipatria → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03LA126

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the helicopter, and an inadvertent dynamic rollover during takeoff-initial climb, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident flight was the first flight of the day for commercial certificated pilot. He was relieving the owner/pilot, who had exited the helicopter and left it running, with a 50-foot loading hose connected to the right side of the helicopter just aft of the entry door. The helicopter was being loaded with product prior to an aerial application flight. The accident pilot boarded the helicopter from the right side, and prepared for takeoff. He observed the loader walking away from the helicopter, but failed to notice that the 50-foot loading hose was still attached. As the pilot executed the takeoff, the hose became taut, and it pulled the helicopter down until the main rotor blades collided with the ground. The helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its right side, 180 degrees from the departure path.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.