20180117006579A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell UH-1H · Raton, NM · January 17, 2018

Date: January 17, 2018 · 18:00 local
Place: Raton, NM
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N658H
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN18FA078
Reported as: Bell UH-1H
Reported engine: Lycoming T53L-703
People aboard: 6
Fatal injuries: 5
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot

N658HRegistration cancelled May 29, 2020 · Bell UH-1HS/N 67-17658 · Built 2007 Airframe modelBell UH-1H Engine modelLycoming T53L-703Turbo-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 January 18, 2018, at 1800 MST, a Bell UH-1H, N658H, flying to a private ranch on the new Mexico - Colorado border impacted the top of a mesa while on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and was engulfed in flames shortly after impact. The certifcated rotorcraft-helicopter pilot and four passengers were fatally injured, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The flight originated at Raton municipal airport, Raton, new Mexico on January, 18, 2018 at 1745 MST.

As the FAA filed it

ON JANUARY 18, 2018, AT 1800 MST, A BELL UH-1H, N658H, FLYING TO A PRIVATE RANCH ON THE NEW MEXICO - COLORADO BORDER IMPACTED THE TOP OF A MESA WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES SHORTLY AFTER IMPACT. THE CERTIFCATED ROTORCRAFT-HELICOPTER PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED, AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT RATON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, RATON, NEW MEXICO ON JANUARY, 18, 2018 AT 1745 MST.

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 CEN18FA078Accident · 5 fatalField investigationFinal reportRaton, NMThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude above mountainous terrain during cruise flight in dark night conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.Jan 18, 2018 · Destroyed