# Accident 20010207001069A: Bell UH1H, Darby, MT, February 7, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 7, 2001, 16:00 local time
- Place: Darby, MT
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Location: 45.7791° N, 114.2392° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7791&lon=-114.2392&mi=10
- Aircraft: N205GL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N205GL-2002-04-19) (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
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA01LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA01LA046) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010207001069A

## Narrative

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

(-23) RE BOX 21A "OTHER" TAIL ROTOR FAILURE SUSPECTED. TO BE CONFIRMED BY NTSB TEARDOWN ANALYSIS. 1. UPON LANDING WITH A LOAD OF LOGS ON A LONG LINE, THE PILOT MR. BURHANS ANNOUNCED OVER THE RADIO TO THE GROUND HOOKUP MAN,  MR. WORKMAN THAT HE AHD A TAIL ROTOR FAILURE. 2.  MR. WORKMAN  STATED THAT HE COULD HEAR AND SEE THE TAIL ROTOR SLOWING AND STOPPING.  MR. WORKMAN TH EN STATED  MR. BURHANS DROPPED THE LOAD OF LOGS AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A SLOW TURN RIGHT OF APPROX. 180 DEGREES. HE STATED THAT  MR. BURHANS WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE TO TAKEOFF. THE WINDS WERE CALM AND THE SKY WAS CLEAR. 3.  MR. WORKMAN  THEN SAW THE CHODER ON THE LONG LINE, SNAG A LARGE TREE.  MR. BURHAN DID NOT JETTISON THE LONG LINE, ADN THE A/C LANDED NOSE LOW AND ROLLED ONTO THE LEFT SIDE. THE TREE WAS AT GPS COORDINATED N46 03.214" W114 07.075' , ALTIMETER 5110 FEET. THE A/C CAME TO REST AT N46 03.237' W 114.07.103', ALTIMETER 5032 FEET. 4. THE ONSITE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY BROKEN OR MISSING PARTS. THE CREW STATIONS WERE CRUSHED AND THE TAIL BOOM SEVERED NEAR THE SYNC ELEVATORS. THE VERTICAL FIN AND BOTH GEAR BOXES TRAVELED AN ADDITIONAL 30 FEET FURTHER THAN THE FUSELAGE AFTER THE TAIL BOOM WAS     SEVERED. THE TEAR DOWN ANALYSIS IS TO BE CONCENTRATED ON THE TRANSMISSION AND PINION GEARS IN THE INTERNAL TRANSMISSION. A FURTHER CONFIRMATION OF THE OPERATION OF ALL PARTS AT THE REPAIR STATION SHOULD BE COMPLETED. THE METALLURGY LAB IS TO INSPECT THE ELCTRIC RELEASE CABLE THAT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CUT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. NO POST CRASH FIRE, FUEL INDICATED 800 LBS., VSI 1500' PER MINUTE DESCENT, FUEL PRESSURE 25 LBS., HOBBS 27356, ALTIMETER 9250' (ACTUAL ELEVATION WAS5032'), TORQUE WAS 24 LBS, N1 WAS 0%, THE ONLY TWO DC CIRCUIT BREAKERS OUT WERE THE IDLE STOP AND RPM WARNING . ALL AC BREAKERS WERE OUT.

## 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 SEA01LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA01LA046), Feb 7, 2001: Western International UH-1H (N205GL), Darby, MT, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Inflight loss of a tail rotor pitch change link-to-blade grip attach bolt, resulting partial loss of tail rotor control, and subsequent entanglement of the helicopter's external load cable with a…

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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