# Accident 19960321007459A: Bell 205A1, Grove Hill, AL, March 21, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 21, 1996, 14:10 local time
- Place: Grove Hill, AL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: GDML
- Location: 31.9101° N, 87.7402° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9101&lon=-87.7402&mi=10
- Aircraft: N68HJ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N68HJ-1996-05-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 205A-1 (registry code 1181414, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-205a-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 205A1
- Reported engine: LYC T5313B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,500 total, 677 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL96LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL96LA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960321007459A

## Narrative

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

LOUD BANG AS LONG LINE BUCKET FERTILIZER LIFTED. BEGAN SPIN. IMPACTED TAIL FIRST. VERTICAL TAIL FIN HAD BROKEN OFF.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL96LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL96LA068), Mar 21, 1996: Bell 205A-1 (N68HJ), Grove Hill, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: fatigue failure of the vertical fin forward spar in an area that was not accessible to inspection. A factor relating to the accident was: guidance for inspection of the area (where the fatigue…

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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