Bell UH-1H accident near Glenn, California, February 21, 1999
On February 21, 1999 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Bell UH-1H (helicopter), registered N6258Z, was destroyed in an accident near Glenn, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inflight loss of control for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1999 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Glenn, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1H · all UH-1Hs on the register
- Registration
- N6258Z · registry record · serial 68-16089
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was in the process of finishing an aerial application run over an almond orchard when it collided with the ground in a nose down attitude. The pilot told the company owner and his family members that the flight controls 'went away' and he could not overpower the flight controls as the helicopter descended. The owner of the helicopter company stated that during the spray run the pilot flew up and over a powerline which was approximately 100 feet from the orchard. He reported that the pilot told him he heard a noise as he flew over the powerlines and then experienced the loss of control. Detailed examination and functional tests of various components of the helicopter's control systems failed to find any evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The tail stinger of the helicopter and an exemplar sample of the copper powerline wire was examined in a laboratory and it was determined that there was no wire transfer marks on the tail stinger. The pilot was transported to a hospital after the accident where tests later determined he had fractured his back. He died during a surgical procedure 2 days after the accident. The pilot held an airline transport certificate with over 32,000 hours of flight time, 28,000 of which were in helicopters.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 32,600 hours in all; 3,240 in this make and model; 50 in the last 30 days; 32,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,632 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 19, 1999; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L-13B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from CIC, 15 miles away
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.