# Accident 19971125034969A: Bell TH1L, Canby, OR, November 25, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 25, 1997, 10:30 local time
- Place: Canby, OR
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: GLEA
- Location: 45.2105° N, 122.6599° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.2105&lon=-122.6599&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8160G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8160G-2017-03-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell TH-1L (registry code 1180817, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-th-1l) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T-53 series (registry code 41549, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t-53-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL TH1L
- Reported engine: LYC T53L13B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 11,329 total, 52 in this make and model, 86 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA98LA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA017) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971125034969A

## Narrative

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

BELL TH-1L ACFT CRASHED UND UNK CIRC. CANBY, OR. (.19)ON NOVEMBER 25, 1997, APPROXIAMTELY 1120 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A BELL TH-1L ROTORCRAFT, N8160G, REGISTERED TO KENNETH G. GUTHRIE, D/B/A BLUE BIRD HELICOPTERS, AND BEING FLOWN BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE IN CRUISE APPROXIAMTELY FIVE NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF CANBY, OREGON.  THE PILOT AND SIX PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED.  THE FLIGHT, WHICH HAD BEEN ENGAGED IN SLINGING CHRISTMAS TREES, WAS REPOSITIONING WITH THE SIX MEMBER GROUND CREW TEAM.  THE FLIGHT WAS TO HAVE BEEN OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 133 AND ORIGINATED FROM A SITE NEAR THE ACCIDENT AREA.  A WITNESS REPORTED OBSERVING THE SLING LINE FALL FROM THE ROTORCRAFT WHILE IT WAS IN CRUISE AND IMPACT THE REAR OF THE EMPENNAGE.  THE FAA INSPECTOR ON SITE REPORTED FINDING FRAGMENTS OF ALUMINUM ROTOR BLADE INBEDDED IN THE HOOK AT THE END OF THE LONG LINE.                                                                                                                                                              (.4)THE PILOT WAS REPOSITIONING THE HELICOPTER TO A NEW WORK LOCATION WITH THE 30 FOOT LONG-LINE IN TRAIL. WHILE EN ROUTE AT 80 KNOTS AND 500 FEET AGL, THE PILOT LOST VIEW OF THE LINE AND HOOK IN THE AIRCRAFT'S CHIN MIRROR WHEN, IN HIS WORDS IT 'BECAME UNSTABLE.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE HOOK IMPACTED THE TAIL-ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE A RUN-ON LANDING, BUT ALLOWED HIS AIRSPEED TO BLEED OFF BEYOND THE POINT WHERE HE COULD MAINTAIN ANY DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN A RIGHT YAW AND, AFTER APPROXIMATELY 720 DEGREES OF REVOLUTION, IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE WITH A NEAR VERTICAL FLIGHT PATH.

## 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 SEA98LA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA017), Nov 25, 1997: Bell TH-1L (N8160G), Canby, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's allowance of excessive airspeed resulting in the long-line hook impacting the tail rotor, and his allowance of an airspeed bleed-off preventing a successful run-on landing due to a loss…

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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