19910522016829A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell UH1B · Smith Cove, AK · May 22, 1991

Date: May 22, 1991 · 09:45 local
Place: Smith Cove, AK
Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: WYFL
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N87729
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC91LA059
Reported as: Bell UH1B
Reported engine: Lycoming T53L11D
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,950 total600 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Turbine engine failure during external load operations. Dropped into trees.

As the FAA filed it

TURBINE ENGINE FAILURE DURING EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS. DROPPED INTO TREES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC91LA059Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSmith Cove, AKA complete lose of engine power due to a total disintegration of the turbine wheel.May 22, 1991 · Substantial damage