ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 290194
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| Date: | Thursday 14 February 2013 |
| Time: | 16:00 LT |
| Type: |  Bell OH-58A |
| Owner/operator: | Texas Parks And Wildlife Department |
| Registration: | N337PW |
| MSN: | 42003 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1972 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5670 hours |
| Engine model: | Rolls Royce/T63-A720 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Pine Springs, Texas -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Cornudas, TX (None) |
| Cornudas, TX (None) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot and two passengers were surveying a preplanned transect about 50 to 100 feet above ground level with a 5- to 10-knot left crosswind and an indicated groundspeed of 30 to 35 knots. As the terrain began to rise, the pilot added power to clear a ridge. The pilot reported that, when the helicopter was about 100 feet from the top of the ridge, he heard a " slight pop" and that the helicopter began to yaw to the right. He added power to clear the ridgeline, which greatly increased the right yawing motion, and the helicopter began to spin. He stated that the helicopter crossed over the ridgeline backward and continued to spin before it contacted the ground and rolled over onto its left side. A passenger reported that, although the wind was about 10 knots when they started the survey, the wind speed increased when the helicopter reached the top of the ridge, and the pilot had to correct for it twice before the helicopter began to spin to the right. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The helicopter was operating in an environment conducive to the loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE), and the unanticipated right yaw and subsequent spinning of the helicopter are consistent with LTE.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while operating in conditions conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB CEN13TA165
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Oct-2022 11:56 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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