Bell OH 58C accident near Verbena, AL
On November 16, 2018, a Bell OH 58C (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Verbena, AL. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- November 16, 2018
- Place
- Verbena, AL
- Aircraft
- Bell OH 58C · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 32.822°N, 86.459°W
- NTSB ID
- 20181116X63655
Official records · ERA19FA047
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn November 16, 2018, about 1130 central standard time, a Bell OH-58C helicopter, N510CP, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Verbena, Alabama. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. According to the mechanic, the helicopter was being repositioned to the Chilton County Airport (02A), Clanton, Alabama, for routine maintenance. On the day of the accident, the pilot departed Columbus Airport, Columbus, Georgia (CSG), then stopped at Auburn University Regional Airport (AUO) to pick up a passenger before continuing to 02A. According to witness statements, the helicopter approached a river from the east and then flew north over the river at a low altitude before doing a maneuver to head south. One witness saw the helicopter "catch and turn" then impact the water. Another witness reported hearing a loud explosion, and when he went to the river, the wreckage was below where the power lines were, but the power lines were no longer across the river. After the accident, a severed power line was located in the river. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONAt the accident site, the Coosa River was about 1,500 ft wide; the wreckage was located midway across the river, about 700 ft from shore and about 400 ft downstream from power lines. The helicopter main rotor hub and blades were not recovered. The main rotor mast exhibited an overstress fracture where the main rotor hub had separated from the mast; deformation of the mast was visible near this
Probable cause
The pilot's improper decision to conduct a low-level flight over a river, and his failure to see and avoid power lines, which resulted in the helicopter's impact with power lines and the water.
More accidents in AL
- Beech C99, Jul 10, 1991
- Cessna 421A, Jun 22, 1983
- Cessna 421C, Jul 9, 2011
- Piper PA 31, Aug 14, 2016
- Beech 95-B55B, Dec 5, 1992
Browse: Alabama · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
