Arrow Falcon Exporters OH-58A+ N911RN

Summary

On 4 May 2013 at about 07:12 local time, a Arrow Falcon Exporters OH-58A+ registered N911RN, operated by Morris Ag Air, was involved in an accident near Somerton, Arizona, 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 May 2013 at 07:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Somerton, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Yuma International Airport (KNLY)

Coordinates

32.5964, -114.7222

Aircraft

Arrow Falcon Exporters OH-58A+

Registration

N911RN

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Morris Ag Air

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Yuma → Somerton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

WPR13LA215

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering at a low altitude in dark night conditions, which resulted in collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's fatigue due to his working at a time when he normally would be asleep and a relatively long time since awakening and the pilot's lack of total experience in the task environment.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, at the time of the accident, he had been awake for about 14 hours. The accident flight occurred about midnight as he was completing his 15th agricultural application to a field in dark night conditions with no moon and a cloud layer. Forward-projecting flood lights had been mounted on the helicopter to illuminate the terrain directly in front of it. The pilot stated that, while in a left turn to align with a narrow field that had a row of power lines running along one side, he applied left cyclic until it hit the stop. The helicopter continued to drift toward the power lines, so he increased the collective and left pedal to maneuver over them. Although the helicopter cleared the power lines, it started to rotate to the right in an uncommanded fashion and subsequently collided with terrain. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failure with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot had accumulated 40 hours of night-time flying experience, and this was his first season being employed as a pilot for agricultural application operations. However, due to his working at a time when he normally would be asleep and a relatively long time since awakening, the pilot was most likely fatigued at the time of the accident. 

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.