Texas Helicopter OH-13-EM-7A accident near Cedarville, Arkansas, July 8, 1983
On July 8, 1983 at about 12:35 pm local time, a Texas Helicopter OH-13-EM-7A, registered N68040, was destroyed in an accident near Cedarville, Arkansas. It was an other work-use flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1983 · about 12:35 pm local time
- Place
- Cedarville, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Texas Helicopter OH-13-EM-7A OH-13-EM-7
- Registration
- N68040 · registry record · serial 76001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS USING AN IMPROVISED HYDRAULIC VERTICAL SAW TO TRIM LIMBS & BRUSH FROM POWERLINES. THE SAW BLADES APPEAR TO HAVE MALFUNCTIONED WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS MANEUVERING. THE PILOT JETTISONED THE SAW, BUT THE QUICK DISCONNECT HOSES FAILED TO RELEASE AND THE HELICOPTER VEERED INTO THE TREES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,205 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 1983; 205 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.