Garlick Helicopters Inc. OH-58A+ accident near Graham, Texas, June 22, 2005
On June 22, 2005 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Garlick Helicopters Inc. OH-58A+, registered N372NS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Graham, Texas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the wire while maneuvering during an aerial application flight. Low altitude flight is a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2005 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Graham, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Garlick Helicopters Inc. OH-58A+
- Registration
- N372NS · registry record · serial 70-15372
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After 3 hours of flying, the agricultural helicopter collided with high tension wires and impacted the ground while maneuvering during aerial application of pesticides. The 10,000-hour pilot completed spraying a pasture and was trimming the edges when the helicopter struck the wires during a pull-up maneuver. Evidence at the accident site showed that the tail boom struck the top wire of the high tension string and separated in-flight. After the tail boom separated, the helicopter descended uncontrolled to ground impact. The wires did not have fixed aerial obstruction features (orange balls, etc.) installed.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 2,900 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison C20C (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Graham TX at 10:45 am
- Destination: PVT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N372NS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DFW05CA172.