19970827024169A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell UH-1B · Manila, AR · August 27, 1997

Date: August 27, 1997 · 10:10 local
Place: Manila, AR
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N482SA
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97FA330
Reported as: Bell UH1B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1

N482SARegistration cancelled Sep 20, 2013 · Bell UH-1BS/N 63-8534 Airframe modelBell UH-1B

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.

During aerial application crashed. (-23) approximately 10:30 am I was called in reference to an accident 3 miles north of Manila, AR. Upon arriving on site I found a buffalo island flying service aerial applicator, operating a Bell helicopter UH-1B, N482SA had impacted ground, with one fatal. Notified NTSB & center, informed doug wiggington would be there around 8:00 pm. Started search for rotor blades and hub. They were located about 100 yards from a/c with blade tips broken off. Located one blade tip, but not the other. Investigation was turned over to NTSB.

As the FAA filed it

DURING AERIAL APPLICATION CRASHED. (-23) APPROXIMATELY 10:30 AM I WAS CALLED IN REFERENCE TO AN ACCIDENT 3 MILES NORTH OF MANILA, AR. UPON ARRIVING ON SITE I FOUND A BUFFALO ISLAND FLYING SERVICE AERIAL APPLICATOR, OPERATING A BELL HELICOPTER UH-1B, N482SA HAD IMPACTED GROUND, WITH ONE FATAL. NOTIFIED NTSB & CENTER, INFORMED DOUG WIGGINGTON WOULD BE THERE AROUND 8:00 PM. STARTED SEARCH FOR ROTOR BLADES AND HUB. THEY WERE LOCATED ABOUT 100 YARDS FROM A/C WITH BLADE TIPS BROKEN OFF. LOCATED ONE BLADE TIP, BUT NOT THE OTHER. INVESTIGATION WAS TURNED OVER TO NTSB.

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 FTW97FA330Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportManila, ARFatigue failure of the main rotor blade resulting in the in-flight separation of the main rotor system due to the use of an unairworthy blade, and failure of the maintenance personnel who modified the rotor blade and the mechanic who complied with the…Aug 27, 1997 · Destroyed