Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74 accident near Greenwood, Mississippi, July 21, 1989
On July 21, 1989 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Texas Helicopter OH-13E/M74, registered N47345, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenwood, Mississippi. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
FAILURE OF A MAIN ROTOR BLADE PITCH CHANGE HORN AND/OR ATTACHING BOLT(S).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1989 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Greenwood, Mississippi · 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
- N47345 · registry record · serial 76-002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLT, THE HELICOPTER WENT OUT OF CONTROL & BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED DESCENT. THE CYCLIC & COLLECTIVE CONTROLS WERE NON-RESPONSIVE, BUT LEFT PEDAL WAS APPLIED BEFORE THE HELICOPTER CRASHED & IT CRASHED IN A TAIL LOW ATTITUDE. AN EXAM OF THE FLT CONTROLS REVEALED THAT ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE PITCH CHANGE HORN HAD FAILED, AS WELL AS THE ATTACHING BOLTSFOR BOTH PITCH CHANGE HORNS. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT ONE OF THE BOLTS HAD FAILED, THEN THE OTHER FAILURES WERE FROM OVERLOAD.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,219 hours in all; 2,263 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 10,833 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,696 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1989; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-AIF (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Valley Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: M42 Grenada MS at 5:00 am
- Destination: 522 Iha Bena MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from GWO, 5 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.
Other NTSB records under N47345 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.