No fatalities
15 Nov 2023: BELL OH-58A — EDGEFIELD AVIATION LLC — Estacada, OR
On 15 Nov 2023, a BELL OH-58A operated by EDGEFIELD AVIATION LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Estacada, OR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control during an external load operation, which resulted in the helicopter’s main rotor blades impacting the tail boom. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control during an external load operation, which resulted in the helicopter’s main rotor blades impacting the tail boom.
— NTSB Determination
Contributing factors
PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained