Turbine helicopter

N497E

Bell OH-58A

Registered 1 NTSB/FAA record
Built
—
Serial
69-16375
Class
Turbine helicopter
Engines
1
Status
Current as of October 2026
Registered owner
Kern County Sheriffs Department (Government)
Based
Bakersfield, CA
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Registration record

N497E on the FAA register

Type
Bell OH-58A
Serial
69-16375
Engines
1
Registered owner
Kern County Sheriffs Department
Bakersfield, CA
Certificate issued
1997-07-24
Airworthiness date
—
Registration expires
2027-10-31
Airworthiness class
—
Mode S (hex)
A62A7D
Mode S (octal)
51425175
Seats (type)
4
Weight class
up to 12,499 lb
Status
Current as of October 2026
Registry history

Timeline

  • 2027-10-31
    Registration expires (renewal due).
  • 2014-03-27
    Accident at Tehachapi, CA; damage: substantial.
  • 1997-07-24
    Certificate of registration issued as N497E.
Overview

About N497E

N497E is a Bell OH-58A, serial number 69-16375. The FAA register lists Kern County Sheriffs Department as the registrant in Bakersfield, California. The current certificate of registration was issued on July 24, 1997 and expires on October 31, 2027.

The FAA aircraft reference file describes the type as a turbine helicopter and 4 seats.

N497E has 1 accident/incident record on file (most serious damage: substantial); details are below.

Safety record

Accident & incident history

2014-03-27 Accident · Tehachapi, CA Damage: Substantial NTSB · WPR14TA149
Reported aircraft: Bell OH-58A
Probable cause: The pilot's decision to attempt a mission at night with known en route weather conditions below operating minimums, likely due to self-induced pressure, and then continue flight beyond the alternate landing airport as weather conditions deteriorated, which resulted in the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's fatigue, his failure to recognize that mist had formed on the inner surface of the windshield, his complacency due to the effectiveness of the night vision goggles, and his failure to use the radar altimeter.

Sources: NTSB aviation accident database and CAROL case system, FAA preliminary accident & incident notices. Search accident records

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Data: FAA Aircraft Registry (October 2026), including deregistered aircraft; NTSB and FAA accident data; fyiAero listing history. Individual owners' names are shown to signed-in users and street addresses are never shown. Type figures are published specifications, not this aircraft's.