# Accident 19980724023869A: Bell UH1H, Libby, MT, July 24, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 24, 1998, 08:30 local time
- Place: Libby, MT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: WYFL
- Location: 48.3864° N, 115.5564° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Libby, MT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.3864&lon=-115.5564&mi=10
- Aircraft: N83NW (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL UH1H
- Reported engine: LYC T53L13B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 8,660 total, 4,160 in this make and model, 107 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA98LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA146) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980724023869A

## Narrative

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

LONG LINE FAILED RAPPED AROUND TAIL ROTOR. AUTOROTATED TO A ROAD. (.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE CONDUCTING EXTERNAL LOAD LOGGING OPERATIONS, HE WAS HOOKED UP TO A TREE LENGTH ROOT WAD WHICH HAD BEEN KNOCKED OVER AND TOPPED.  HE PICKED UP THE TREE LENGTH AND LAID IT OVER 180 DEGREES FROM ITS ORIGINAL POSITION IN ORDER TO BREAK THE ROOTS FROM THE GROUND.  WITH THE ROOTS LOOSE, HE STARTED A TAKEOFF AND THE TREE LEFT THE GROUND AND WAS IN THE AIR FOR APPROXIMATELY 25-50 YARDS.  THE ROOTS THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND; THE KEVLAR LONG-LINE SNAPPED ABOUT MIDPOINT AND THE BROKEN END REBOUNDED UP INTO THE TAIL ROTOR.  THE PILOT STATED THAT HE IMMEDIATELY REALIZED HE HAD A TAIL ROTOR FAILURE.  HE INFORMED THE GROUND CREW AND FOUND THE ONLY OPEN AREA, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS FROM THE POINT OF FAILURE.  ON THE SECOND 360 DEGREE SPIN, HE REDUCED POWER WHEN THE NOSE WAS POINTED AT THE INTENDED CRASH SITE. HE STATED THAT HE REALIZED HE WAS TOO LOW TO MAKE IT, SO HE PULLED PITCH, WHICH PUT HIM IN A RAPID SPIN.  HE STRUCK SOME TREES ON HIS SECOND OR THIRD SPIN AND THEN FELL.  AFTER IMPACT, HE EVACUATED FROM THE HELICOPTER.                                                                     (-23)DURING LOGGING OPERATION 45 MILES NORTH OF LIBBY, MT., AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED TAIL ROTOR FAILURE AFTER EXTERNAL LOAD CABLE FAILED AND RECOILED INTO TAIL ROTOT. AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED ON ROAD NEAR WORKSITE.

## 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 SEA98LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA146), Jul 24, 1998: Garlick UH-1H (N83NW), Libby, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: A failure of the external load cable, which became entangled in the tail rotor.

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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