19990906046569A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Bell UH-1H · Silverton, CO · September 6, 1999

Date: September 6, 1999 · 08:30 local
Place: Silverton, CO
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: HCXL
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N4085L
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN99LA160
Reported as: Bell UH1H
Fatal injuries: 0

N4085LRegistration cancelled Aug 21, 2020 · Bell UH-1HS/N 68-15655 · Built 1968 Airframe modelBell UH-1H Engine modelLycoming T53-L-13Turbo-shaft

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.

(-23) Pilot was transporting an external load on the first flight of the day when the ground crew reported fire and smoke coming out the tail pipe of the engine. The pilot stated that the engine then quit and he autorotated to the ground. The main rotors hit terrain and the tail rotor and gear box separated from the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS TRANSPORTING AN EXTERNAL LOAD ON THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY WHEN THE GROUND CREW REPORTED FIRE AND SMOKE COMING OUT THE TAIL PIPE OF THE ENGINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE THEN QUIT AND HE AUTOROTATED TO THE GROUND. THE MAIN ROTORS HIT TERRAIN AND THE TAIL ROTOR AND GEAR BOX SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.

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 DEN99LA160Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSilverton, COThe total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.Sep 6, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4085L · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20190606005969ACruise/Level Flight · Bethel, AKAircraft experienced engine failure due to fuel exhaustion.Jun 6, 2019 · Substantial damage