20150720011009A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell UH-1H · Walla Walla, WA · July 20, 2015

Date: July 20, 2015 · 18:30 local
Place: Walla Walla, WA
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: GLGG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N121PT
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR15LA219
Reported as: Bell UH-1H
Reported engine: Lycoming T-53
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 25,000 total2,200 in this make and model196 in the last 90 days

N121PTRegistered now · Bell UH-1HS/N 64-13711 · Built 1964 Airframe modelBell UH-1H Engine modelLycoming T-53 seriesTurbo-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.

Pilot reported rotor RPM decay while hovering to pick up water from a stream for firefighting. No master caution or other warnings were given. Engine RPM was not observed. The bucket line was 165 feet long, and he had time to move the aircraft near a small road as rotor RPM was lost. Main rotor blades struck a tree and the aircraft ended up by the side of the trail. Pilot switched off fuel and battery. After assessing things, the pilot turned the battery on again to attempt a radio call for help. The engine warning came on, as he had fuel off. He was unable to contact anyone and noted the microphone cord to his helmet was broken. As the forest fire was approaching his position, he elected to walk out on foot. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft was overtaken by the wildfire and was subsequently destroyed. The actual severity of damage to the aircraft prior to the fire is unconfirmed.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT REPORTED ROTOR RPM DECAY WHILE HOVERING TO PICK UP WATER FROM A STREAM FOR FIREFIGHTING. NO MASTER CAUTION OR OTHER WARNINGS WERE GIVEN. ENGINE RPM WAS NOT OBSERVED. THE BUCKET LINE WAS 165 FEET LONG, AND HE HAD TIME TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT NEAR A SMALL ROAD AS ROTOR RPM WAS LOST. MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK A TREE AND THE AIRCRAFT ENDED UP BY THE SIDE OF THE TRAIL. PILOT SWITCHED OFF FUEL AND BATTERY. AFTER ASSESSING THINGS, THE PILOT TURNED THE BATTERY ON AGAIN TO ATTEMPT A RADIO CALL FOR HELP. THE ENGINE WARNING CAME ON, AS HE HAD FUEL OFF. HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ANYONE AND NOTED THE MICROPHONE CORD TO HIS HELMET WAS BROKEN. AS THE FOREST FIRE WAS APPROACHING HIS POSITION, HE ELECTED TO WALK OUT ON FOOT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVERTAKEN BY THE WILDFIRE AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DESTROYED. THE ACTUAL SEVERITY OF DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE FIRE IS UNCONFIRMED.

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 WPR15LA219Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWalla Walla, WAThe helicopter’s reduction in aerodynamic lift while operating in variable wind conditions for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have…Jul 21, 2015 · Destroyed