Pilot Debrief

Bell OH-58A near Brawley, CA — 2008-01-30

Final reportLAX08CA054
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Date
2008-01-30
Location
Brawley, CA, USA
Airport
BWC
Aircraft
Bell OH-58A
Registration
N902SF
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstacles. A factor in the accident was the dark night conditions.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was spraying fields at night. He had just completed spraying a field and was climbing out to move to a second field when the helicopter collided with unmarked high tension electrical wires. He felt the impact and was momentarily blinded by the bright electrical flash. The pilot reported that the helicopter was out of control and after about 2 or 3 seconds, the helicopter impacted the ground. After impact, he unbuckled his seatbelt and exited the helicopter. He reported that the engine was still running and he continued to experience some blindness. The pilot walked a few steps away from the helicopter before his regained his vision. He looked back at the helicopter to make sure there was no fire, and then went back to it, and shut it down. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the helicopter. The pilot said he had been spraying in this area for years and was aware of the general location of the power lines in the area.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

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