Bell OH 58A accident near Fort Meade, Florida, October 3, 2019
On October 3, 2019 at about 7:03 pm local time, a 1972 Bell OH 58A (helicopter), registered N911RW, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Fort Meade, Florida. It was a public-use flight (local) under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter, which resulted in a dynamic rollover and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2019 · about 7:03 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Meade, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell OH 58A No Series, built 1972 · all OH 58As on the register
- Registration
- N911RW · no longer on the register · serial 72-21147
- 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 attempting to rescue a gyroplane pilot who made a forced landing in a phosphate pit and gypsum pond by having him grab the right skid of the helicopter and lift him to safety. The pilot anticipated that he would have to compensate for the change in the helicopter's center of gravity when the gyroplane pilot grabbed the skid. The gyroplane pilot’s first two attempts to grab the helicopter’s right skid were unsuccessful. The helicopter pilot stated that the gyroplane pilot’s third attempt was more aggressive than the previous two attempts and that he was not prepared for the sudden center-of-gravity shift that resulted once the gyroplane pilot grabbed the right skid. The helicopter then entered a dynamic rollover to the right and impacted the gypsum pond, resulting in substantial damage to the main rotor blades, tail rotor, and the tailboom.
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
- Dynamic rollover during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,287 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 3,866 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 7, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,829 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 13, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce T63-A720 (turboshaft); 7,737 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOW Bartow FL at 6:12 pm
- Destination: Fort Meade FL
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from BOW, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 12, 2022. 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 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.