Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pine Springs, Texas 88280
Thursday, February 14, 2013 16:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
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.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while operating in conditions conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/14/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1600 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Pine Springs |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 88280 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 315034N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1044556W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1430 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 255 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ELP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 80 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.06 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32115 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SWR ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 12 2013 12:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | yeal |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N337PW |
| NTSB Number | CEN13TA165 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BELL |
| Aircraft Model | OH-58A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 72-21337 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 29 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 5670 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4200 SMITH SCHOOL RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | AUSTIN |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 78744-3218 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 4200 SMITH SCHOOL RD |
| Operator City | AUSTIN |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 78744-3218 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | None |
| Departure City | Cornudas |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1525 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | None |
| Destination City | Cornudas |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 16 2013 2:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | seak |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |