Texas Helicopter OH-13H/M47A accident near Citronelle, Alabama, July 15, 1998
On July 15, 1998 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Texas Helicopter OH-13H/M47A, registered N1001F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Citronelle, Alabama. 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 control the helicopter's altitude while overflying an area of rising terrain and trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1998 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Citronelle, Alabama · 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/M47A OH-13H/M47
- Registration
- N1001F · registry record · serial 79-033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the spray helicopter turned downwind en route to his spray tract, he entered a sinking condition from which application of full power did not prevent colliding with trees situated along a ridgeline.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 26,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 452 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1998; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO 540 B1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Citronelle AL at 10:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from MOB, 28 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.