Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74 accident near Chandler, Arizona, September 6, 1992
On September 6, 1992 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74, registered N38099, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandler, Arizona. 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 MISJUDGING THE PERFORMANCE AND WEIGHT AND BALANCE DATA OF THE HELICOPTER PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO JETTISON THE CHEMICAL LOAD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1992 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74
- Registration
- N38099 · no longer on the register · serial 77-006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RECEIVING FUEL AND RELOADING WITH A CHEMICAL HERBICIDE, THE HELICOPTER WAS DEPARTING A LANDING/LOADING PLATFORM MOUNTED ON A TRUCK, TO CONTINUE AGRICULTURAL SPRAY OPERATIONS. AS THE HELICOPTER LEFT THE PLATFORM, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND JETTISON THE CHEMICAL LOAD. THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO A COTTON FIELD AND ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. EXAMINATION OF WEIGHT AND BALANCE, AND PERFORMANCE CHARTS REVEALED THAT THE HELICOPTER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS RECOMMENDATION TO PREVENT THIS ACCIDENT WAS TO NOT OVERLOAD THE HELICOPTER.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,680 hours in all; 480 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 3,507 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,628 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 26, 1992; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Services INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Chandler AZ at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°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.
Other NTSB records under N38099 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.