Hughes OH-6A N910WC accident near Caddo, Texas

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter during landing.

NTSB analysis

The helicopter approached an open field, adjacent to a stock pond, where it had landed earlier in the day. The pilot stated that he looked for smoke or dust to establish the velocity and direction of the wind before landing, but that he did not observe any. As the pilot established a hover about 3 to 4 feet above the ground, he turned the helicopter east-southeast. Subsequently, the helicopter started to spin, and the pilot was unable to regain control. He stated that he did not get the left pedal in soon enough and/or hard enough. The pilot stated that the helicopter impacted the stock pond on the passenger side and immediately sank. An examination of the helicopter and its systems revealed no malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot was able to egress from the helicopter; however, the passenger was not. The passenger sustained a head injury during the impact sequence. It is possible that he was unconscious and, therefore, unable to get out of the helicopter.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13FA205 for the full record.