Texas Helicopter OH-13E accident near Yakima, Washington, September 20, 1995
On September 20, 1995 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Texas Helicopter OH-13E, registered N38115, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yakima, Washington. 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
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE BOLT ATTACHING THE SCISSOR ARM ASSEMBLY TO THE PITCH CONTROL SUPPORT ASSEMBLY. THE FAILURE OF THE BOLT LED TO A LOSS OF COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL AND REDUCED ROTOR RPM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1995 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Yakima, Washington · 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
- Registration
- N38115 · no longer on the register · serial 77-011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFTING OFF AND REACHING TRANSLATIONAL LIFT, THE PILOT LOST COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL AND ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECREASE. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND IMPACTED WITH A POND. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT AN ATTACHMENT BOLT IN THE SCISSOR ARM ASSEMBLY OF THE PITCH CONTROL SUPPORT ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED. EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE SURFACE REVEALED THAT THE BOLT HAD FAILED IN FATIGUE, WITH MULTIPLE CRACKING ORIGINS EMANATING FROM THE THREADS OF THE BOLT.
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: 7,572 hours in all; 2,657 in this make and model; 422 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 7,374 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,196 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 8, 1995; 328 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from YKM, 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.
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.