Texas Helicopter OH-13E-M74 accident near Tulare, California, July 30, 2003
On July 30, 2003 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Texas Helicopter OH-13E-M74, registered N51852, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tulare, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the wires due to an inadequate visual lookout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2003 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Tulare, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Texas Helicopter OH-13E-M74
- Registration
- N51852 · registry record · serial 78020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter collided with power lines during an aerial application. The pilot was on his nineteenth pass over the field, traveling eastbound. Power lines were located on the east and west side of the road. There was a pole about 75 feet tall, and the top 6 feet contained three wires. The top wire, a black colored insulator wire, was located 3 feet from the top of the pole. The pilot located the outbox on the pole and determined he would fly above the box to clear all of the wires. As he flew over the lines, the helicopter impacted the insulator wire about 1/2 foot above the cockpit floor. The helicopter slid along the wire and then the wire broke from the insulator at the next pole. The poles were placed about 300 feet apart. As the helicopter impacted the ground, the left skid hit first, followed by the main rotor.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,875 hours in all; 4,175 in this make and model; 400 in the last 90 days; 125 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-BIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tulare CA at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from KMRY
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.
Other NTSB records under N51852 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.