# Accident 20210615007759A: Bell UH-1H, Townsend, MT, June 15, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 15, 2021, 17:00 local time
- Place: Townsend, MT
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Location: 46.3245° N, 111.2910° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.3245&lon=-111.2910&mi=10
- Aircraft: N398M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N398M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell UH-1H (registry code 1181407, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-uh-1h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL UH-1H
- Reported engine: LYCOMING T53-L
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 4
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 8,079 total, 1,400 in this make and model, 99 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR21LA236](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA236) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210615007759A

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 15, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL UH1H HELICOPTER, N398M HAD A HARD LANDING, ROLL OVER AND POST CRASH FIRE ON AN ACCESS ROAD PARALELL TO HIGHWAY 12, APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES EAST OF TOWNSEND, MT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AS A PUBLIC AIRCRAFT CONDUCTING FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, 4 PASSENGERS ON BOARD SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AFTER A HARD LANDING DUE TO SETTLING WITH POWER (VORTEX RING STATE). WINDS WERE VARYING FROM SSE TO SSW AT 20 KNOTS GUSTING TO 35 KNOTS WHILE AIRCRAFT HEADING DURING LANDING WAS 330 DEGREES. AFTER THE INITIAL IMPACT, THE SKID TYPE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AICRAFT ROLLED LEFT CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO SEPARATE. THE PASSENGERS AND CREW WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH ONE CARGO DOOR AND THE WINDSHIELD WHICH WAS KICKED OUT BY A FIREFIGHTER ON THE GROUND THAT WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AROUND THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISPATCHED BY THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DESK AND NO FAA FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE CLO (CENTRAL LAND OFFICE) NORTH OF HELENA, MT.

## 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 WPR21LA236](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA236), Jun 15, 2021: Bell UH-1H (N398M), Townsend, MT, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control after an encounter with settling with power during approach at an altitude that was too low for recovery, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Other reports on N398M (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20000727035509I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000727035509I), Jul 27, 2000: Bell UH1H (N398M), Philipsburg, MT. (-23)The pilot stated, in flight the aircraft lost hydraulics. The pilot landed at Philipsburg, Montana - the nearest available airport. Fluid and leaked out…

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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