History of Flight
On May 18, 2021, at about 1430 central daylight time, a Bell OH-58A helicopter, registration N176SJ, was destroyed when it struck a powerline and collided with terrain near Ulysses, Kansas. The pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight.
According to the operator, the accident pass was the pilot's 21st pass over the field, and the pilot had been maneuvering over the powerline during previous passes. A loader present at the scene reported that the helicopter passed the wires, and he heard two loud pops. The helicopter then impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude of about 60°, and the loader called emergency services.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The helicopter came to rest on its side in a field approximately 150 yards from the power lines. All major components were located at the accident site. The forward cockpit area was crushed and distorted. Both main rotor blades were damaged but remained attached to the main rotor hub. The main rotor hub had separated from the transmission due to impact forces. Flight control continuity was established throughout the helicopter, with fractures consistent with overload. A portion of the power line was found on the ground between the wire strike location and the wreckage. The helicopter was equipped with wire cutters, but they showed no signs of damage or wire contact.
Medical and Pathological Information
The pilot succumbed to his injuries in the hospital two days after the accident. The Kearny County, Kansas, coroner issued a death certificate listing the cause of death as massive blunt trauma to the head, torso, and extremities. Toxicology testing on the pilot's hospital admission blood was positive for norketamine (metabolite of anesthetic ketamine), famotidine (antacid), and ondansetron (antinausea medication), which were likely administered during postaccident medical treatment.