# Accident 20200819012939A: Bell UH-1H, Coalinga, CA, August 19, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 19, 2020, 10:15 local time
- Place: Coalinga, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: GH4L
- Location: 35.9692° N, 120.3225° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9692&lon=-120.3225&mi=10
- Aircraft: N711GH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N711GH-2020-10-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell UH-1H (registry code 1181407, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-uh-1h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T53L-703 (registry code 41557, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t53l-703) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL UH-1H
- Reported engine: LYCOMING T53L-703
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 11,150 total, 350 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA280) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200819012939A

## Narrative

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

ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019, AT 1015 PDT, A BELL UH-1H OPERATED BY

GUARDIAN HELICOPTERS, INC. WAS PERFORMING FIREFIGHTING ACTIVITIES AND WORKING AN ACTIVE FIRE NEAR THE TOWN OF COALINGA, CA. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HEARD A NOISE AND WAS GOING TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. A WITNESS STATED THAT AT ROUGHLY 300-400? AGL THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, RESULTING IN A POST IMPACT FIRE.

REMARK:AT THIS TIME OF THE INVESTIGATION WE HAVE NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE AS TO WHY THE ENGINE FAILED. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION IS IN PROCESS OF BEING SCHEDULED.

## 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 WPR20LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA280), Aug 19, 2020: Arrow-Falcon Exporters UH-1H (N711GH), Coalinga, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s inability to maintain control of the helicopter due to a hydraulic system failure for reasons that could not be fully determined due to the thermal destruction from the postimpact fire.

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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