Hiller OH-23B accident near Wichita Falls, Texas, January 21, 1989
On January 21, 1989 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Hiller OH-23B (helicopter), registered N88785, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wichita Falls, Texas (Wichita Valley airport). It was a personal 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 IMPROPER USE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT DURING FLIGHT AND HIS IMPROPER FLARE DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, A TAILWIND DURING THE LANDING, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1989 · about 4:15 pm local time · cases in 1989
- Place
- Wichita Falls, Texas · Wichita Valley · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller OH-23B · all OH-23Bs on the register
- Registration
- N88785 · no longer on the register · serial 560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT AFTER HE HAD FLOWN ABOUT 45 MIN, HE LANDED AT THE WICHITA VALLEY ARPT, THEN TOOK OFF FOR A RTRN FLT TO HOLLIDAY, TX. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING THE WICHITA VALLEY ARPT, WHILE EN ROUTE AT ABOUT 500' AGL, THE ENG 'MISSED A FEW TIMES.' THE PLT TURNED TO LAND AT THE ARPT, BUT THE ENG SUBSEQUENTLY LOST ALL POWER. THE PLT MADE AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING IN A WHEAT FIELD; HOWEVER, DRG THE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD & WAS DAMAGED. THE LANDING WAS ON A NORTHERLY HEADING. THE 1001 CST WIND AT WICHITA FALLS WAS FROM 180 DEG AT 10 KTS. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND DRG THE INVESTIGATION. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 49 & 24 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO CARB ICING CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR CARB ICING. THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS OPERATING WITH THE CARB HEAT APRX 1/4 'ON.'
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin O-335-6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: S & F Helo Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: F14 Wichita Falls TX at 4:05 pm
- Destination: NONE Holliday TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N88785: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Hiller OH-23 15 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Hiller 242 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Franklin O-335-6 1 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Wichita Valley Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,065 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,945 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW89LA043.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.