Bell OH-58 N911FA
17 November 2012 · Altadena, California, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 17 November 2012 at about 23:58 local time, a Bell OH-58 registered N911FA, operated by Pasadena Police Department, was involved in an accident near Altadena, California, United States. 5 people were on board and 5 had minor injuries. 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 23:58
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Altadena, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Pasadena PD Heliport (N/A)
- Coordinates
- 34.1831, -118.1708
- Aircraft
- Bell OH-58
- Registration
- N911FA
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Pasadena Police Department
- Operating rule
- Public Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Altadena → Altadena
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR13GA044
People
5 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Probable cause
The landing pilot's failure to maintain clearance with from obstacles a parked prior to landinghelicopter and the other pilot's failure to park the helicopter inside of a marked parking pad. Contributing to the accident was the landing pilot's obscured visibility due to moisture on the windscreenAlso contributing to the accident was the other pilot's action of placing the helicopter outside of a marked parking pad.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The commercial pilot had conducted traffic evaluation flights earlier in the day. After conferring with her lieutenant, she decided to attempt another flight with the understanding that she would return if the weather was not good. She departed, and after a few minutes, returned to the heliport to land due to deteriorating weather. While the helicopter was airborne, another pilot had moved a helicopter out of the hangar and parked outside of the marked parking pad area designated as "Pad 1." He later stated that he parked outside the pad because of drainage issues and that he was not on the radios because he would be off the ground in a couple of minutes and he did not believe there would be a conflict. The pilot had started the engine and begun the start-up sequence. Upon return to the heliport, the pilot of the landing helicopter scouted the landing area to make sure it was clear. The pilot observed the other helicopter parked near the parking pad, but due to rain on the windshield, she was not able to determine whether the helicopter was inside or outside of the marked box or if the main rotor blades were turning. The landing pilot stated that, as a result of the rain on her windscreen and side windows, she was looking straight ahead and using the chin window and her periphery to land inside the box. She radioed her intention to land and received no response. She then made the approach to the main pad, assuming that the other helicopter was inside the box for Pad 1, and then hover-taxied toward the adjacent parking pad (Pad 2). She was focused on her landing pad area, and as she lowered the collective to land on Pad 2, the pilot did not confirm adequate clearance, and the main rotor blades of the landing helicopter contacted the main rotor blades of the parked helicopter. At the time of the accident, there was no established monitored UNICOM frequency at the heliport, and there were no procedures to alert ground personnel that a helicopter was arriving to the heliport other than by ground personnel "hearing" it approach. The pilot in the parked helicopter had not turned on his radios, and the pilots were not in communication with each other at the time of the accident. As a result of the accident, the air division established monitored UNICOM and radio procedures for arrival and departure of helicopters at the heliport.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell OH-58 | N911FA | Pasadena Police Department | Substantial |
| Bell OH-58A | N96BM | Pasadena Police Department | Substantial |
Other Bell OH-58 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Sep 2010 | Bell OH-58 | Tuxtlas, Mexico | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 2 Feb 2009 | Bell OH-58 | Dominican Republic | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jul 2016 | Bell OH 58 | Surprise, Arizona, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 May 2016 | Bell OH 58 | Waitsburg, Washington, United States | Wilbur-Ellis Co | No injuries | - |
| 27 Mar 2021 | Bell OH-58 | Pottsboro, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Feb 2021 | Bell OH-58 | Greensburg, Louisiana, United States | Livingston Parish Sheriffs Office | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov 2012 | Remos Acft Gmbh Flugzeugbau REMOS GX | Sacramento, California, United States | Greg Thomas Group Inc | No injuries | - |
| 21 Feb 2012 | Haycraft SPORT HORNET | Mariposa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Apr 2012 | Piper PA-18-150 | Sierraville, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 2012 | Aeronca 7BCM | Woodland, California, United States | Red Sky Aviation, LLC | No injuries | - |
| 27 May 2012 | Beechcraft B36TC | Santa Ynez, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Nov 2012 | Cessna 210 | San Rafael, California, United States | Zachariah Kimsey | No injuries | - |