Bell OH-58A N911SL
29 May 2011 · Ft. Pierce, Florida, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 29 May 2011 at about 16:48 local time, a Bell OH-58A registered N911SL, operated by St Lucie Cnty Sheriffs Office, was involved in an accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. 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 16:48
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ft. Pierce, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- 27.4189, -80.3878
- Aircraft
- Bell OH-58A
- Registration
- N911SL
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- St Lucie Cnty Sheriffs Office
- Operating rule
- Public Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Fort Pierce → Fort Pierce
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA11TA318
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to recognize and avoid a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, which resulted in a loss of control and hard landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot was maneuvering the helicopter at low altitude during a search mission. After completing a low level, slow speed, right turn, the helicopter experienced a nose dip and began to spin. The pilot took corrective actions in an attempt to stop the spinning, but the actions failed, and the helicopter impacted the ground hard. No preimpact mechanical irregularities were noted with the helicopter during the wreckage examination. The pilot stated that he was more focused on the mission than on flying the helicopter and was caught off guard when the uncommanded right yaw started. He reported that he lost awareness of the wind condition and did not recognize the possibility of a loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) event. As a result of the accident, the helicopter operator implemented additional training and awareness courses and required their pilots to complete mission-oriented emergency procedures flight training and specific training on LTE prevention, onset, and recovery.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell OH-58A accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 2012 | Bell OH-58A | Eufaula, Alabama, United States | B & S Air Inc | No injuries | - |
| 13 Oct 2012 | Bell OH-58A | Jackson, Tennessee, United States | Jackson Police Department | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Sep 2010 | Bell OH-58A | Covington, Tennessee, United States | B & S Air Inc | No injuries | - |
| 24 Sep 2010 | Bell OH-58A | Taylorsville, Mississippi, United States | Cahaba Forestry Services | Serious injuries | - |
| 10 Jul 2010 | Bell OH-58A | Roswell, New Mexico, United States | North Star Helicopters Inc | No injuries | - |
| 14 Feb 2013 | Bell OH-58A | Pine Springs, Texas, United States | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov 2011 | North American SNJ-6 | Kissimmee, Florida, United States | Warbird Adventures Inc | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Feb 2011 | Enstrom F-28C | Fort Pierce, Florida, United States | Disk Copy Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 2011 | Fessenden Alfred EXPERMENTAL RV-4 | Fort Drum, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Oct 2011 | Air Tractor AT-502B | Fort Pierce, Florida, United States | Southeastern Aerial Crop Service Inc | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Jul 2011 | Piper PA-28-161 | Crystal River, Florida, United States | Tailwheels Etc | No injuries | - |
| 6 Sep 2011 | Boeing 737 7H4 | Cape Coral, Florida, United States | Southwest Airlines | Serious injuries | - |