# Accident 20230711010509A: Bell UH-1H, Woodlawn, IL, July 11, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 11, 2023, 11:13 local time
- Place: Woodlawn, IL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 1KHG
- Location: 38.5600° N, 89.0453° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5600&lon=-89.0453&mi=10
- Aircraft: N900VF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N900VF-2024-08-10) (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: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA295) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230711010509A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED IN A FARM FIELD NORTH EAST OF WOODLAWN IL.  THE LAT/LONG OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE IS 38 DEGREE 19 MINUTES 58 SECONDS NORTH BY 89 DEGREES 01 MINUTES 25 SECONDS WEST AS SHOWN ON GOOGLE EARTH.  THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT IS APPROXIMATELY 1/3 OF A MILE EAST OF TOWN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF E BUTTERNUT RD OPPOSITE THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CEMETERY.

THE FUSELAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND UPRIGHT.  THE TAIL BOOM AFT OF BOOM EXTENSION STATION LINE (BES) 38.43 HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 35 YARDS SOUTH EAST OF THE FUSELAGE.

THE TAIL BOOM WAS FOUND IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION.  THE TAIL BOOM EXHIBITED SIGNS THAT IT HAD BEEN ON IT’S RIGHT SIDE DUE TO CRUSHING OF THE RIGHT ELEVATOR AND DIRT SMEARED UP THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VERTICAL FIN.  ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE EXHIBITED DAMAGE FROM STRIKING THE GROUND AS JUDGED BY GROUND SCARRING NEAR THE BOOM AND THE DAMAGE TO THE BLADE AND SEVERAL STALKS OF CORN THAT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN CUT RATHER THAN BROKEN.

THE DOWNLOAD OF THE AGNAV FILE THAT WAS SHOWN TO ME DURING THE INTERVIEWS AT THE OPERATORS BASE SHOWS THAT AS THE HELICOPTER CROSSES TROUT ROAD GOING WEST, IT CLIMBS TO AN ALTITUDE OF 117 FEET AND REMAINS WELL ABOVE THE ALTITUDE THAT PREVIOUS APPLICATION PASSES WERE MADE IT UNTIL THE PILOT BEGINS  DESCENT TOWARDS THE INTENDED LANDING SITE.  ADDITIONALLY, THE CHEMICAL SPRAY IS NOT TURNED BACK ON AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CROSSES TROUT ROAD.

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT AND TROUT ROAD IS APPROXIMATELY 700 YARDS.

## 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 CEN23LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA295), Jul 11, 2023: Bell UH-1H (N900VF), Woodlawn, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation of the tail boom from the fuselage for reasons that could not be determined.

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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