# Incident 19950527016979I: Bell UH1B, Gridley, CA, May 27, 1995

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 27, 1995, 15:13 local time
- Place: Gridley, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: NIEG
- Location: 39.3629° N, 121.6975° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Gridley, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3629&lon=-121.6975&mi=10
- Aircraft: N843M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N843M-2010-03-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell UH-1B (registry code 1181410, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-uh-1b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T-53 series (registry code 41552, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t-53-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL UH1B
- Reported engine: LYC T53L11D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 30,000 total, 1,850 in this make and model, 400 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950527016979I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NARRATIVE: ON MAY 27, 1995, AT 1513 PDST, N843M, A GARLICK (BELL) UH1B HELICOPTER, REGISTERED TO AVAG, INC., EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING TAKE-OFF AT GRIDLEY, CA. AFTER LOADING 300 GALLONS OF SPRAY MATERIAL, THE ROTORCRAFT ENTERED TRANSLATIONAL LIFT AND INITIATED A LEFT TURN TOWARD AN ORCHARD. AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND THE TAIL ROTOR LOST EFFECTIVENESS DUE TO LOW ROTOR RPM. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING BETWEEN TWO BUILDINGS, THE TAIL ROTOR WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT CONTACTED THE SIDE OF ONE OF THE STRUCTURES. AN M OR D WILL BE SUBMITTED UPON DETERMINATION OF THE MALFUNCTION.

## Other reports on N843M (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20090513017439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090513017439A), May 13, 2009: Bell UH1B (N843M), Richvaille, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) During a repositioning flight the pilot lost control of the aircraft and it struck a hanger. The aircraft was substantial damaged. The pilot received…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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