# Incident 19970801020909I: Bell UH1B, Shandon, CA, August 1, 1997

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 1, 1997, 18:50 local time
- Place: Shandon, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: IAVA
- Location: 35.6536° N, 120.3831° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Shandon, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6536&lon=-120.3831&mi=10
- Aircraft: N64770, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N64770) (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 41549, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t-53-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL UH1B
- Reported engine: LYC T53L11D
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,750 total, 120 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970801020909I

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE: ON JULY 31, 1997, A BELL UH-1B HELICOPTER, N64770, WAS INVOLVED IN AN APPROACH/LINE-UP INCIDENT WHILE CONDUCTING FIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS ON A WILDLAND FIRE 12.5 MILES NM EAST OF PASO ROBLES, CALIFORNIA. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PUBLIC AIRCRAFT BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY (C.D.F.), UNDER THE COMMAND AND CONTROL OF AIR ATTACK 340 (AA340). THE COMMERCIALLY RATED HELICOPTER PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, WAS TRANSPORTED TO, TREATED AT, AND RELEASED FROM TWIN CITIES HOSPITAL, TEMPLETON, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE SKID-TYPE LANDING GEAR WHEN IT COLLAPSED UPON LANDING. THE PILOT STATED, AND WITNESSES HAVE VERIFIED, AT APPROX. 75 FEET A.G.L. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, WITH A FULL WATER BUCKET ATTACHED TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT AUTOROTATED TO A HARD LANDING INTO A SOFT LEVEL FIELD, THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION, REVEALED THE ENGINE HAD A CATASTROPHIC TURBINE FAILURE, AND A 4 INCH HOLE WAS FOUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOT SECTION OF THE T-53-L11D ENGINE. MOLTEN ENGINE PARTS WERE ALSO FOUND IN THE ENGINE TAIL PIPE. A LARGE HOLE WAS ALSO

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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