Cliff Hatfield Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Calipatria, California 92233
Friday, April 4, 2003 5:55 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The accident flight was the first flight of the day for commercial certificated pilot. He was relieving the owner/pilot, who had exited the helicopter and left it running, with a 50-foot loading hose connected to the right side of the helicopter just aft of the entry door. The helicopter was being loaded with product prior to an aerial application flight. The accident pilot boarded the helicopter from the right side, and prepared for takeoff. He observed the loader walking away from the helicopter, but failed to notice that the 50-foot loading hose was still attached. As the pilot executed the takeoff, the hose became taut, and it pulled the helicopter down until the main rotor blades collided with the ground. The helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its right side, 180 degrees from the departure path.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the helicopter, and an inadvertent dynamic rollover during takeoff-initial climb, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/4/2003
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 555
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CALIPATRIA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92233
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 330700N
Event Location Longitude 1154000W
Event Location Airport Cliff Hatfield Memorial
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CLR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 6
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation -185
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 655 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KNJK
Elevation of weather observation facility -42
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) -674
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16919
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 4 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 28 2004 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO- SAN DIEGO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N38FA
NTSB Number LAX03LA126
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model OH-58A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 70-15448
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 2 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4.8
Airframe Hours 6840
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Farm Aviation Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO Box 1690
Aircraft Owner City Brawley
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92227
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code WRCG
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City CALIPATRIA
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 555
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 27 2004 6:54PM
User who most recently changed record LABJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --