# NTSB investigations: Bell UH-1B: Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports. ## Latest cases - [NTSB LAX00LA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA239.md): Bell UH-1B · Arbuckle, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 23, 2000 · N807SB · Destroyed > the partial failure of the tail rotor pitch change control rod that resulted in an attempted run-on landing in dark night conditions. - [NTSB LAX99LA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA283.md): Bell UH-1B · Lost Hills, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 25, 1999 · N999SJ · Substantial damage > Failure and separation of the 90-degree gearbox as a result of the disengagement of the pinion and gear teeth. The cause(s) of the pinion and gear disengagement were undetermined. - [NTSB LAX98LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA108.md): Bell UH-1B · Hollister, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 7, 1998 · N204DR · Destroyed > The failure of the maintenance personnel to recognize and repair the chafed area of the tail rotor driveshaft, which resulted in an in-flight separation of the tail fin and hub assembly. - [NTSB SEA97FA196](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97FA196.md): Southern Aero UH-1B · Skykomish, WA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 27, 1997 · N896W · Substantial damage > A fatigue fracture in the main rotor mast, which resulted in an in flight separation of the main rotor from the helicopter. Contributing to the accident was insufficient Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness standards and requirements for the aircraft. - [NTSB MIA96LA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA96LA166.md): Bell UH-1B · Lorida, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 28, 1996 · N9846F · Substantial damage > failure of company maintenance personnel to properly torque the tail rotor 90 degree gear box mounting bolts during installation, which resulted in failure of the mounting studs due to bending fatigue and subsequent separation of the gearbox. - [NTSB BFO94LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO94LA159.md): Bell UH-1B · Carrabasset, ME · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 31, 1994 · N204JB · Substantial damage > Fracture failure of the tail rotor drive intermediate gearbox. - [NTSB SEA93LA207](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA93LA207.md): Bell UH-1B · Pierce, ID · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 23, 1993 · N3979C · Substantial damage > Separation of the 90 degree gearbox after fatigue failure of the gearbox attach bolts. Factors include hilly/mountainous terrain. - [NTSB MIA91LA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA91LA113.md): Bell UH-1B · Vero Beach, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 12, 1991 · N9687R · Substantial damage > Improper maintenance adjustment by company maintenance personnel resulting in overtorque of a tailboom attach bolt which allowed the tailboom to shift. This disengaged the tail rotor drive shaft at a coupling resulting in the loss of tail rotor drive. - [NTSB ATL89DKG06](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL89DKG06.md): Bell UH-1B · Plains, GA · Accident · 2 fatal · Final report · Sep 29, 1989 · N840MC · Destroyed > Improper modification of the helicopter by the company/operator, and failure of the spray boom, which resulted in mast bumping, and subsequent failure of the main rotor assembly. - [NTSB LAX88DVA02](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX88DVA02.md): Bell UH-1B · Arvin, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Final report · Mar 14, 1988 · N59368 · Destroyed - [NTSB LAX86DVA06](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX86DVA06.md): Bell UH-1B · Chowchilla, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Final report · Apr 16, 1986 · N910PD · Destroyed > While returning from a spraying operation the plt observed that the main transmission oil pressure gage indicated zero. The plt reported that the engine master caution did not illuminate and that the oil temperature gage was normal. The plt stated that he… - [NTSB LAX82AA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX82AA274.md): Bell UH-1B · Valencia, CA · Accident · 3 fatal · Final report · Jul 23, 1982 · N87701 · Substantial damage > Acft being used to film movie scene depicting attack of village typical of villges in viet nam. Acft was about 25 ft AGL & above location where special effects explosives were detonated. As the plt turned acft for camera coverage, acft'stail section was… - [NTSB LAX82FA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX82FA061.md): Bell UH1B · Lagunitas, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 27, 1982 · N96142 · Destroyed > Helicopter crashed into a reservoir and sank in 60 feet of water after tail boom separated during a log slinging operation. The pilot had lifted and began to back up when a loud noise was heard and the tail separated. The log was released and an auto-rotation… ## The whole list in SQL Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS: ```sql SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1 WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1181410') AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o."occurrenceNumber" = 1 AND o."occurrenceCode" = 130)) ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC ``` This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb?model=1181410&occurrence=130 --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.