# Accident 20210525004029A: Bhi H60 Helicopters LLC UH-60A, Leesburg, FL, May 25, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 25, 2021, 16:47 local time
- Place: Leesburg, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: JSDA
- Location: 28.8180° N, 81.8086° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8180&lon=-81.8086&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9FH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9FH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bhi H60 Helicopters UH-60A (registry code 8146010, https://openairdocs.org/model/bhi-h60-helicopters-uh-60a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: GE T700-GE-700 (registry code 30168, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-t700-ge-700) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BHI H60 HELICOPTERS LLC UH-60A
- Reported engine: GE T700-GE-700
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,250 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21FA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA233) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210525004029A

## Narrative

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

ON MAY 25, 2020, N9FH, AN UH-60 CRASHED AT LEESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1647 EST. THE HELICOPTER WAS CONDUCTING TRAINING  EXTRACTING WATER FROM  LAKE HARRIS AND DELIVER/DUMP THAT WATER ONTO A FIRE AS PART OF THE EXERCISE. IN ADDITION TO THE EXERCISE THE CREW WERE CALIBRATING THE DOORS DUE TO AN INSTALLATION OF A NEW WATER DUMPING SYSTEM. N9FH HAD JUST DUMPED A LOAD OF WATER ONTO A PREVIOUSLY DESIGNATED TARGET SITE AND WAS HEADED FOR THE LAKE JUST SOUTH OF THE LEE AIRPORT WHEN PERSONNEL ON THE GROUND NOTICED THAT HOSE AND SNORKEL STARTED TO SWIVEL. PERSONNEL ON THE GROUND CONTACTED KLEE ATC TO RELAYED A MESSAGE TO THE CREW ABOUT RETURNING BACK TO BASE WHEN THE SNORKEL SWIVEL AND HIT THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR. AS A RESULT, THE HELICOPTER CREW LOST ALL CONTROL AND THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO SPIN AROUND. THE FORCE OF THE SPIN CAUSED THE TAIL BOOM TO SEPARATE AND  CRASHING EAST OF RUNWAY 31 ON A DENSE SWAMPED WOODED AREA.  AN EXPLOSION WAS NOTICED ENGULFING THE HELICOPTER ON FIRE. ALL CREWMEMBERS DIED IN THE CRASH.

## 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 ERA21FA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA233), May 25, 2021: Bhi H60 Helicopters UH-60A (N9FH), Leesburg, FL, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the water tank snorkel support structure, which allowed the snorkel to contact the main rotor blades. Contributing to the accident was insufficient Federal Aviation Administration…

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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