# Accident 20010325005539A: Bell UH1H, Zuni, NM, March 25, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 25, 2001, 13:30 local time
- Place: Zuni, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.0798° N, 108.7595° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0798&lon=-108.7595&mi=10
- Aircraft: N56CF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N56CF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell UH-1H (registry code 1181407, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-uh-1h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T53-L-13 (registry code 41551, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t53-l-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL UH1H
- Reported engine: LYC T5313B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 17,000 total, 173 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN01LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA077) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010325005539A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON MARCH 25, 2001, AP APPROX. 1200 MST, A BELL UH-1H HELICOPTER, N56CF, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAAMGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR ZUNI, NM. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THIS FERRY FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM ALBUQUERQUE, NM AT APPROX. 1100. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE NOTICED A HIGH ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, HE RECEIVED A REPORT FROM A PILOT IN A SECOND HELICOPTER TELLING HIM THAT HIS ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE PILOT SHUT-DOWN THE ENGINE, INTIATED AN AUTOROTATION, AND THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD. THE FIRE STOPPED PRIOR TO LANDING. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR/SKIDS, BELLY AND FIRE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. (-23) ON MARCH 25, 2001, APPROX. 1200 MST, N56CF, A BELL UH-1H HELICOPTER, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR ZUNI, NM. THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND RECEIVED NO INJURIES. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE SAW AN INCREASE IN OIL TEMP, FOLLOWED BY THE PILOT FOLLOWED BY THE                                                                  PILOT BEHIND HIM (IN ANOTHER A/C) REPORTING THAT N56CF'S ENGINE WAS ON FIRE THE PILOT SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE AND EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION. THE A/C HIT THE GROUND HARD, DAMAGING THE SKIDS AN DBELLY. (.4) ON MARCH 25, 2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BELL UH-1H HELICOPTER, N56CF, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR ZUNI, NEW MEXICO. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THIS FERRY FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM DOUBLE EAGLE II AIRPORT, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, AT APPROXIMATELY 1230. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE NOTICED AN ILLUMINATED MASTER CAUTION LIGHT AND HIGH ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, HE RECEIVED A REPORT FROM A PILOT IN A SECOND HELICOPTER TELLING HIM THAT HIS ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE PILOT THEN NOTICED AN ENGINE CHIP LIGHT. HE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND "INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION." THE ENGINE SEIZED AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) AND THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND HARD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE "ELECTED TO RUN THE A/C ON BECAUSE OF                               THE ALTITUDE (7,800') AND BEING DOWNWIND. THE LANDING WORKED OUT FINE UNTIL THE SKIDS GRABBED IN THE SOFT DIRT AND COLLAPSED." THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE SKIDS, BOTTOM OF FUSELAGE AND FIRE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED PRIOR TO LANDING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AT A HELICOPTER REPAIR STATION IN REDDING, CALIFORNIA, IDENTIFIED THAT THE "ENGINE'S NUMBER THREE AND FOUR BEARING PACK SEAL HAD FAILED." THE FAILURE RESULTED IN "HIGH ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE, WHICH LED TO THE ENGINE FIRE AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE ENGINE."

## 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 DEN01LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA077), Mar 25, 2001: Bell UH-1H (N56CF), Zuni, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: a hard landing due to the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during autorotation/flare. A factor was the total loss of engine power due to mechanical failure.

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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