No fatalities

BELL OH-58A accident at Merced, CA, 1 Apr 2022

Merced, CA, United States

On April 1, 2022, a BELL OH-58A operated by AMERICAN AG AVIATION INC was involved in an aviation accident near Merced, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to see and avoid wires while conducting an aerial application flight, which resulted in a wire strike and ground impact. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to see and avoid wires while conducting an aerial application flight, which resulted in a wire strike and ground impact.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotEffect on operation

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1 Apr 2022 BELL OH-58A accident near Merced, CA?

The pilot’s failure to see and avoid wires while conducting an aerial application flight, which resulted in a wire strike and ground impact.

Were there any fatalities in the 1 Apr 2022 BELL OH-58A accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1 Apr 2022 involved a BELL OH-58A, operated by AMERICAN AG AVIATION INC, at Merced, CA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot’s failure to see and avoid wires while conducting an aerial application flight, which resulted in a wire strike and ground impact.