# Accident 20190610006589A: S M & T Aircraft UH-1B, Northway, AK, June 10, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 10, 2019, 12:00 local time
- Place: Northway, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 63.0758° N, 141.0389° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.0758&lon=-141.0389&mi=10
- Aircraft: N64771, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N64771-2020-09-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: S M & T UH-1B (registry code 7700000, https://openairdocs.org/model/s-m-t-uh-1b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T-53 series (registry code 41552, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t-53-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: S M & T AIRCRAFT UH-1B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,365 total, 10 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA345](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA345) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190610006589A

## Narrative

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

CREW WAS HAULING AN INTERNAL LOAD OF FUEL AT CLOSE TO GROSS WEIGHT OF THE HELICOPTER APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES NORTH EAST OF NORTHWAY ALASKA. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD THE CONTROLS UPON APPROACH TO THE LANDING ZONE. THE LANDING ZONE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100 SQUARE FEET IN RISING TERRAIN. THERE WAS ANOTHER HELICOPTER PARKED ON ONE SIDE OF THE LANDING ZONE AND TREES ON THE OTHER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORTED THAT AT 70 FEET THE HELICOPTERS RATE OF DESCENT STARTED TO INCREASE DRAMATICALLY. AS THE SINK RATE INCREASED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ APPLIED FULL POWER AND COLLECTIVE TO SLOW THE RATE OF DESCENT. THE HELICOPTER SETTLED WITH POWER AND LANDED HARD ON THE RIGHT SKID. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BOUNCED AND ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND MAIN TRANSMISSION DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE TAIL BOOM AND TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM WERE IN TACT AFTER THE CRASH. MINOR INJURIES SUSTAINED BY BOTH PILOTS.

## 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 GAA19CA345](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA345), Jun 10, 2019: S M & T UH (N64771), Northway, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate during landing, which resulted in impact with terrain.

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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