Texas Helicopter OH-13H accident near Merced, California, August 10, 1992
On August 10, 1992 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Texas Helicopter OH-13H, registered N51858, was substantially damaged in an accident near Merced, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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 POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION AND FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THE CULTIVATED SOFT FIELD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1992 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Merced, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Texas Helicopter OH-13H
- Registration
- N51858 · no longer on the register · serial 79-025
- 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 PILOT HAD COMPLETED AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT AND WAS RETURNING TO THE LOADING AREA WHEN THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION INTO AN OPEN HARVESTED WHEAT FIELD. THE LANDING SKIDS DUG INTO THE SOFT FIELD CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO ROLL OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,650 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 168 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,148 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 26, 1992; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-AF (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.