# Accident 19981214044099A: Bell UH1H, Darrington, WA, December 14, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 14, 1998, 11:00 local time
- Place: Darrington, WA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: WYFL
- Location: 48.1894° N, 121.2105° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.1894&lon=-121.2105&mi=10
- Aircraft: N94NW, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N94NW) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell UH-1H (registry code 1181407, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-uh-1h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T-53 series (registry code 41549, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t-53-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL UH1H
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,336 total, 800 in this make and model, 210 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99LA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA020) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981214044099A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 SEA99LA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA020), Dec 14, 1998: Garlick UH-1H (N94NW), Darrington, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total separation of the vertical fin (stabilizer), as the result of fatigue cracks which initiated in the fourth rivet hole above where the fin extends from the tailboom.

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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