Bell OH-58C N9273T

Summary

On 16 September 2004 at about 03:37 local time, a Bell OH-58C registered N9273T was involved in an accident near Beaumont, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 September 2004 at 03:37

Classification

Accident

Location

Beaumont, Texas, United States

Coordinates

29.9508, -94.0206

Aircraft

Bell OH-58C

Registration

N9273T

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Public Use

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Beaumont → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW04TA237

1 person died.

**This probable cause was modified on 2/22/2016. Please see the public docket for this accident for additional details.** The pilot's failure to maintain a safe altitude, resulting in collision with the water. A factor was the dark night.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A single-engine public use helicopter was destroyed when it impacted water while maneuvering over a lake at night during a search mission. The 2,475-hour commercial pilot reported that he had set the altimeter to the current barometric pressure setting of 29.75 inches of Mercury prior to departure. Then, he and the pilot-rated passenger departed and made several passes over the lake at 500 feet, then descended to 300 feet for better visual reference of an object on the water. The crew still had difficulty identifying the object and the pilot descended to 200 feet. The pilot reported that there was absolutely no reference to the horizon, so he told the passenger that he would be "on the instruments." As the pilot made a right hand turn, he said the altimeter indicated a slow descent from 200 feet, so he pulled back slightly on the cyclic and increased collective pitch to start a smooth, climbing right turn. As the pilot did so, the passenger shouted, "look out!" The pilot pulled the cyclic back sharply and looked out the windscreen. The pilot thought that he was about to strike a tower because the altimeter indicated an altitude between 150 and 175 feet. The pilot then saw a "black wall" through the windscreen and they collided with the water. Examination of the altimeter revealed that it was not impact damaged, but did exhibit water and corrosion damage. It displayed a barometric pressure setting of 29.66 inches of Mercury and an altitude of approximately 110 feet. Due to corrosion, the unit could not be bench tested. The face of the instrument was removed, and excessive corrosion was observed inside the unit and around the gears. The barrel shaft (turn knob) was locked, but it was engaged to the barrel. The number-wheels were also intact and engaged. According to the aircraft checklist, the altimeter was to be set and checked by the pilot prior to take-off.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.