19990921046519A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Bell UH1H · Usk, WA · September 21, 1999

Date: September 21, 1999 · 13:00 local
Place: Usk, WA
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: GASL
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N32800
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA99LA171
Reported as: Bell UH1H

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)While conducting logging operation, a/c at hover with external load, tail rotor 90 degree separated from the a/c. pilot reduced collective to reduce a/c rotation and made crash landing into trees and brush. A small post crash fire occurred from engine exhaust gases in brush which was extinguished by another helicopter logging company with a water bucket. Pilot exited the a/c w/o injury.

As the FAA filed it

(-23)WHILE CONDUCTING LOGGING OPERATION, A/C AT HOVER WITH EXTERNAL LOAD, TAIL ROTOR 90 DEGREE SEPARATED FROM THE A/C. PILOT REDUCED COLLECTIVE TO REDUCE A/C ROTATION AND MADE CRASH LANDING INTO TREES AND BRUSH. A SMALL POST CRASH FIRE OCCURRED FROM ENGINE EXHAUST GASES IN BRUSH WHICH WAS EXTINGUISHED BY ANOTHER HELICOPTER LOGGING COMPANY WITH A WATER BUCKET. PILOT EXITED THE A/C W/O INJURY.

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 SEA99LA171Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportUsk, WAFatigue failure of the 90-degree gearbox attachment studs, resulting in separation of the tailrotor and 90-degree gearbox from the vertical fin.Sep 21, 1999 · Substantial damage