Bell OH-58A accident near Eufaula, Alabama, March 1, 2012
On March 1, 2012 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Bell OH-58A (helicopter), registered N38FA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eufaula, Alabama (Weedon Field Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting wind, which resulted in an excessive descent rate and hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2012 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eufaula, Alabama · Weedon Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell OH-58A · all OH-58As on the register
- Registration
- N38FA · registry record · serial 70-15448
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was conducting annual refresher training with a certified flight instructor. During a practice autorotation to runway 18, the helicopter descended below a nearby tree line and then suddenly dropped. He stated that the helicopter descended so rapidly that he was unable to arrest the descent rate and the helicopter landed hard. The pilot reported that the wind was from 230 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 19 knots at the time of the accident. He reported that, as the helicopter descended below treetop level, "…we lost all lift and wind advantage." The hard landing resulted in a fractured tail boom. The pilots reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Autorotation Hard landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 23,155 hours in all; 14,000 in this make and model; 22,000 as pilot in command; 290 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 19, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 24,950 as pilot in command; 15,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 17, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,706 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 21, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce T63-A720 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: B & S Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: EUF Eufaula AL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: EUF Eufaula AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:58 pm from EUF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N38FA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.