Bell OH-58A accident near Jackson, Tennessee, October 13, 2012
On October 13, 2012 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bell OH-58A (helicopter), registered N40TN, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Jackson, Tennessee (Mckellar-Sipes Regional airport). It was a public-use flight (local) under public-use (government) rules. 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons because postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2012 · about 9:00 pm local time · cases in 2012
- Place
- Jackson, Tennessee · Mckellar-Sipes Regional · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell OH-58A · all OH-58As on the register
- Registration
- N40TN · no longer on the register · serial 70-15584
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (local) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was providing aerial observation for law enforcement activity on the ground when he observed the rotor rpm decaying. He initiated a descending left 180-degree autorotation to a flat, grassy area. As he was lining up for the intended landing area, he noticed that a man on a riding lawnmower was moving toward his intended touchdown point. To avoid a collision, he maneuvered the helicopter to the right to get ahead of the lawnmower. The pilot determined that he could not make his intended touchdown point and landed on uneven terrain. The helicopter impacted the ground, which resulted in damage to the fuselage, main rotor system and separation of the tail boom. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined despite a thorough engine examination and test run.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,667 hours in all; 2,506 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,553 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 31, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,194 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 28, 2012; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce AE-406166 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jackson Police Department
The flight
- Departed from: Jackson TN at 8:55 pm
- Destination: Jackson TN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KMKL, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
12 documents, released by the NTSB on February 12, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Record (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Record (FAA Engine Inspection) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Rolls Royce Engine Run | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Tactical Flight Officer Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Vehicle Recorder Division (RE-40) Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Memorandum of Record (FAA Examination) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Pilot's Logbook | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 11 | 100 Hour Inspection | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 12 | Photo 1: Helicopter After Landing (Photo Courtesy of the FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N40TN: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Bell OH-58 329 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bell 3,079 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rolls-Royce AE-406166 · as the NTSB recorded it
- Jackson Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Tennessee 1,198 since 1982 · 231 in the last ten years
- Tennessee 6,522 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA13TA021.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.