How many Bell OH-58As are registered in the US?

206, in the FAA aircraft registry.

When was the Bell OH-58A built?

From about 1968 to 2025. Half of those registered today were built by 1971.

What engine does the Bell OH-58A have?

Most have the Rolls-Royce T63 (19% of those registered); others have the Rolls-Royce 250.

How many accidents has the Bell OH-58A had?

37 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 0 of them fatal. The most common defining event was low altitude operation/event. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.

How many Airworthiness Directives does the Bell OH-58A have?

26 current ADs name the OH-58A airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 65 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Ownership guide

Bell OH-58A

206 registered in the US, built from about 1968 to 2025, 4 seats, most with the Rolls-Royce T63. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.

The fleet

Registered in the US: 206
Built: 1968 to 2025
Half built by: 1971
Seats: 4
Engine type: Turboshaft
Most common engine: Rolls-Royce T63

Engines installed

Rolls-Royce T6339 aircraft (19%) · 12 ADs, 0 with a repeat action
Rolls-Royce 25017 aircraft (8%) · 53 ADs, 4 with a repeat action

From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.

Airworthiness Directives

26 current ADs name the OH-58A airframe, 1 with a repeat action; 3 more were superseded. Its engines carry 65 more. 3 equipment ADs name the model.

The ones that come back

ADs with a repeat action: an inspection or replacement at an interval, for as long as the AD applies. These are the airworthiness costs an owner keeps paying.

94-19-02Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited HelicoptersRotorcraftRepeat actionSep 28, 1994

Every AD for the Bell OH-58A

Accident record

37 accidents since 2008, 0 fatal, 0 aircraft destroyed.

What happened

Low altitude operation/event6
Hard landing4
Loss of engine power (total)4
Loss of engine power (partial)4
Dynamic rollover3
Fuel contamination3

Phase of flight

Maneuvering20
Initial climb3
Enroute3
Autorotation3
Standing2

The latest

Date	Where	What happened	Injuries	NTSB number
2026-09-03	Phoenix, AZ	Landing: Hard landing	None	WPR26LA328
2025-08-23	Caseville, MI	Standing: Dynamic rollover	Minor	CEN25LA337
2024-07-19	Hegins, PA	Maneuvering: Low altitude operation/event	None	ERA24LA314
2023-11-21	Brawley, CA	Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)	None	WPR24LA041
2023-11-15	Estacada, OR	Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight	None	WPR24LA036
2023-08-09	Guernsey, CA	Maneuvering: Mast bumping	Minor	WPR23LA313

From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.

What it costs to run

Per hour flown

Hours flown a yearhr/yrFuel burngal/hrTypical cruise; your POH and how you fly decide it.Fuel price$/galEngine overhaul$A quote from an engine shop.Hours to overhaulhrThe engine maker's published time between overhauls.Maintenance reserve$/hrEverything else that wears: tires, brakes, avionics, the unexpected.

Per year, flown or not

Insurance$/yrHangar or tiedown$/yrAnnual inspection$/yrLoan payments$/yrEverything else$/yrSubscriptions, database updates, the property tax some states charge.

Fuel: $0/hr
Engine reserve: $0/hr
A year: $0
All in, per hour: $0/hr

Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.

Before you buy one

Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
For each repeat-action AD (1 on the airframe), find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
3 equipment ADs name the OH-58A (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.

Questions

How many Bell OH-58As are registered in the US?: 206, in the FAA aircraft registry.
When was the Bell OH-58A built?: From about 1968 to 2025. Half of those registered today were built by 1971.
What engine does the Bell OH-58A have?: Most have the Rolls-Royce T63 (19% of those registered); others have the Rolls-Royce 250.
How many accidents has the Bell OH-58A had?: 37 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 0 of them fatal. The most common defining event was low altitude operation/event. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
How many Airworthiness Directives does the Bell OH-58A have?: 26 current ADs name the OH-58A airframe, 1 of them with a repeat action, and 65 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.

Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.