What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 14, 1998, approximately 1100 pacific standard time, a garlick UH-1H helicopter, N94NW, which is owned by northwest helicopters, and was being operated as a 14 CFR part 133 aero-logging operation, impacted trees after experiencing a component failure in flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the commercial pilot received serious injuries. The flight originated at a nearby helicopter service pad. According to the pilot, he was in a hover at the end of a 150 foot long-line that had just been attached to a set of logs. He reported that he had not yet began to lift the logs, but had taken the slack out of the line, when he heard a loud bang. The aircraft immediately began spinning to the right and sank into the nearby trees.(-23) during logging operations, pilot heard loud bang, at which time tail rotor control was lost. Aircraft spun several times before impacting trees and ground. Aircraft burned on impact.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 14, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1100 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A GARLICK UH-1H HELICOPTER, N94NW, WHICH IS OWNED BY NORTHWEST HELICOPTERS, AND WAS BEING OPERATED AS A 14 CFR PART 133 AERO-LOGGING OPERATION, IMPACTED TREES AFTER EXPERIENCING A COMPONENT FAILURE IN FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT A NEARBY HELICOPTER SERVICE PAD. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS IN A HOVER AT THE END OF A 150 FOOT LONG-LINE THAT HAD JUST BEEN ATTACHED TO A SET OF LOGS. HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT YET BEGAN TO LIFT THE LOGS, BUT HAD TAKEN THE SLACK OUT OF THE LINE, WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY BEGAN SPINNING TO THE RIGHT AND SANK INTO THE NEARBY TREES.(-23) DURING LOGGING OPERATIONS, PILOT HEARD LOUD BANG, AT WHICH TIME TAIL ROTOR CONTROL WAS LOST. AIRCRAFT SPUN SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IMPACTING TREES AND GROUND. AIRCRAFT BURNED ON IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.