- Date
- May 22, 1991, 09:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Smith Cove, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N87729Bell UH-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19910522016829A
- Case key
- 5544
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A complete lose of engine power due to a total disintegration of the turbine wheel.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf
Turbine assembly,turbine wheel - failure,totalCause
Turbine assembly,turbine wheel - disintegrated
Forced landing
In flight collision with object
Terrain condition - none suitableFactor
Object - tree(s)
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was maneuvering just above the tree level when the engine quit. Examination of the engine revealed that the turbine wheel disintegrated in flight causing a total loss of power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N87729
- Reported as
- Bell UH-1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 622034
- Airframe hours
- 5,337
- Engine
- Lycoming T55-L11D, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Operator
- Northwest Helicopter, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Northwest Helicopter, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 21, 1991 · 2 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,950 total · 600 in this make and model · 5,145 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.