20040630032699A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell UH-1H · Ft Myers, FL · June 30, 2004

Date: June 30, 2004 · 20:00 local
Place: Ft Myers, FL
Airport: Page Field
Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N128FC
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04TA142
Reported as: Bell UH1H
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,050 total6,000 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N128FCRegistered now · Bell UH-1HS/N 69-15848 Airframe modelBell UH-1H

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) On June 30, 2004 during a hot refuel of a helicopter (forestry 28) the left rear corner of the aviation mechanics truck (ACS11176) and the left side of a 600 gallon fuel trailer (acs 11365) came into contact with the right side synchronized elevator of forestry 28. The tail boom sustained a 5" by 4" gash on the right side, the synchronized elevator was damaged beyond repair, and largely cosmetic damage was sustained by the truck and fuel tank. (This statement was taken from the NTSB and the Florida division of forestry reports).

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JUNE 30, 2004 DURING A HOT REFUEL OF A HELICOPTER (FORESTRY 28) THE LEFT REAR CORNER OF THE AVIATION MECHANICS TRUCK (ACS11176) AND THE LEFT SIDE OF A 600 GALLON FUEL TRAILER (ACS 11365) CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE RIGHT SIDE SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATOR OF FORESTRY 28. THE TAIL BOOM SUSTAINED A 5" BY 4" GASH ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THE SYNCHRONIZED ELEVATOR WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR, AND LARGELY COSMETIC DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED BY THE TRUCK AND FUEL TANK. (THIS STATEMENT WAS TAKEN FROM THE NTSB AND THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF FORESTRY REPORTS).

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 ATL04TA142Accident · No injuriesFinal reportChilds, FLThe vehicle driver's inadequate visual lookout and his failure to maintain clearance. A factor was the lack of company standards and operation procedures.Jul 1, 2004 · Substantial damage