20130921020369A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell UH-1V · Cordes Lakes, AZ · September 21, 2013

Date: September 21, 2013 · 11:50 local
Place: Cordes Lakes, AZ
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N22490
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR13FA417
Reported as: Bell UH-1V
Reported engine: Lycoming T53-L-13
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,856 total31 in this make and model

N22490Registration cancelled Mar 1, 2018 · Bell UH-1VS/N 74-22490 · Built 1974 Airframe modelBell UH-1V 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.

On September 21, 2013, about 1150 mountain standard time, a Bell UH-1V helicopter, N22490, was destroyed when it impacted the ground near Cordes Lakes, Arizona following the in-flight separation of the main rotor blade assembly. The owner/pilot and the non-pilot rated passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no FAA flight plan was filed for the flight.

As the FAA filed it

ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2013, ABOUT 1150 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BELL UH-1V HELICOPTER, N22490, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND NEAR CORDES LAKES, ARIZONA FOLLOWING THE IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY. THE OWNER/PILOT AND THE NON-PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FAA FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT.

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 WPR13FA417Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportCordes Lakes, AZThe pilot's improper maintenance on the helicopter’s main rotor blade pitch control system, which resulted in an in-flight loss of main rotor blade pitch control, mast bumping, and mast failure.Sep 21, 2013 · Destroyed