Kaman HH43 accident near Glendale, Arizona, January 10, 1995
On January 10, 1995, a Kaman HH43 (helicopter), registered N321WN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glendale, 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 failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout to avoid a collision with a tree during an aerial application swath run.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1995
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Kaman HH43
- Registration
- N321WN · no longer on the register · serial 25
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CLEANUP RUN OVER A FIELD, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH SOME TREE BRANCHES WITH THE RIGHT MAIN ROTOR BLADE WHICH RESULTED IN A SEVERE VIBRATION AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAILBOOM. THE PILOT MADE A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING INTO A MUDDY FIELD. THE TREE BRANCHES EXTENDED 15 TO 20 FEET INTO THE FIELD. THERE WERE NO RESTRICTIONS OR OBSCURATION TO VISIBILITY REPORTED BY THE PILOT.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,100 hours in all; 952 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 9,200 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,933 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1994; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T-53-11C (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Freeway Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Tolleson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.