Bell OH-58A N160SA
3 September 1996 · Wetumpka, Alabama, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 3 September 1996 at about 18:00 local time, a Bell OH-58A registered N160SA was involved in an accident near Wetumpka, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Wetumpka, Alabama, United States
- Nearest airport
- Wetumpka Municipal (08A)
- Coordinates
- 32.5302, -86.3092
- Aircraft
- Bell OH-58A
- Registration
- N160SA
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Public Use
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA96TA221
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The student pilot improper use of flight controls (cyclic a nd collective) on a takeoff to a hover, resulting in the helicopter rolling to the right, and the main rotor blade colliding with the ground.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The student pilot was attempting a takeoff to a hover from soft terrain. The left skid came off the ground, and the helicopter started to roll to the right. The main rotor blades collided with the ground, as the student pilot applied full left cyclic and lowered the collective pitch to the full down position.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell OH-58A accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Sep 1997 | Bell OH-58A | Newark, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 10 Apr 1997 | Bell OH-58A | Seymour, Indiana, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Dec 1998 | Bell OH-58A | N. Little Rock, Arkansas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Apr 1998 | Bell OH-58A | Huron, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Jul 1999 | Bell OH-58A | Bastrop, Louisiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Sep 1999 | Bell OH-58A | Ratcliff, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr 1996 | Rans S6ES | Bayou la Batre, Alabama, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jun 1996 | Cessna 170A | Southside, Alabama, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jun 1996 | Piper PA-23-250 | Clanton, Alabama, United States | Mike Cornelius | Fatal | 5 |
| 27 Jun 1996 | Cessna 152 | Talladega, Alabama, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 17 Jul 1996 | Cessna 152 | Troy, Alabama, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Cessna 150 | Brewton, Alabama, United States | - | No injuries | - |