Pilot Debrief

BELL OH-58A near Hegins, PA — 2024-07-19

Final reportERA24LA314
Sign in to save
Date
2024-07-19
Location
Hegins, PA, USA
Aircraft
BELL OH-58A
Registration
N176SA
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate pre-flight and in-flight planning, which resulted in the helicopter striking a wire hazard during an aerial application flight.

NTSB narrative

The pilot explained that he flew a perimeter reconnaissance of the fields designated for fungicide application with the helicopter. He identified hazards to flight (wires, houses, terrain features, wind direction, etc.) and then completed applications over three of the assigned areas before beginning a fourth. As the pilot aligned the helicopter for an application pass and descended to “spray height” he detected a “loosely strung” powerline across his path that sagged to about “4-5 feet above the height of the corn.” The pilot attempted to climb the helicopter over the wire but was unsuccessful. Immediately after contact with the wire, the pilot experienced a “very rough” vertical vibration and decaying rotor rpm, so he initiated a power-on autorotation for landing. At touchdown on upsloping terrain, the helicopter pitched forward, the pilot corrected with an aft cyclic input, the helicopter entered a “dynamic rollover” to its right and came to rest on its right side substantially damaged. The pilot reported that he was uninjured in the accident, and that there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the helicopter preventing normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

Related mishaps