Arrow OH-58A N901SF

Summary

On 12 January 2000 at about 05:00 local time, a Arrow OH-58A registered N901SF was involved in an accident near Crows Landing, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 January 2000 at 05:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Crows Landing, California, United States

Coordinates

37.3893, -121.0499

Aircraft

Arrow OH-58A

Registration

N901SF

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Porterville → San Francisco

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX00GA073

2 people died.

The failure of the pilot to maintain altitude and clearance from terrain during a turn to reverse direction after encountering instrument meteorological conditions. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain a full weather briefing before departure which accurately forecast the conditions encountered.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter impacted terrain while reversing course in an unlit area, on a dark night, in marginal VFR weather. During a (pilot) abbreviated preflight weather briefing, the pilot did not request to receive the area forecast, which forecast cloud ceilings below 1,000 feet agl and visibilities less that 3 statute miles in precipitation, fog, and mist along the route. The pilot also declined to hear an airman's meteorological notice (AIRMET), which forecast areas of instrument flight conditions and mountain obscuration along his route of flight. The pilot was advised by the briefer that VFR flight was not recommended.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.