Accident Bell OH-58A Kiowa N901SF,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 43141
 
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Date:Tuesday 11 January 2000
Time:21:00
Type:Silhouette image of generic B06 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Bell OH-58A Kiowa
Owner/operator:San Francisco Police
Registration: N901SF
MSN: 42029
Year of manufacture:1972
Total airframe hrs:3097 hours
Engine model:Allison T63A-720
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:3 miles SW of Crows Landing, CA -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Unknown
Departure airport:Porterville, CA (PTV)
Destination airport:San Francisco, CA
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
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.
Probable Cause: 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.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX00GA073
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001212X20381&key=1
FAA register: 2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=901SF

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
12-Apr-2015 16:57 Dr. John Smith Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
21-Dec-2016 19:24 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
12-Dec-2017 18:18 ASN Update Bot Updated [Cn, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
31-May-2023 05:00 Ron Averes Updated [[Cn, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]]

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