# NTSB DEN81FTI12: Bell UH1B, N4237V, Heart Butte, MT, June 26, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: June 26, 1981
- Place: Heart Butte, MT · HEART BUTTE, MT
- Location: 48.2896° N, 112.8336° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Heart Butte, MT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.2896&lon=-112.8336&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 21, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 125237
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN81FTI12
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN81FTI12

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-2476  81/6/26  NR.HEART BUTTE,MT     BELL UH1B           CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 1630                    N4237V              PX-  0  0  0  OTHER                     31, 5502 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            3000 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          BILLINGS,MT                 LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           PROPELLER/ROTOR FAILURE                                  LANDING: POWER-ON LANDING
           HARD LANDING                                             LANDING: POWER-OFF AUTOROTATIVE LANDING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - FAILED TO SEE AND AVOID OBJECTS OR OBSTRUCTIONS
           MISCELLANEOUS - FOREIGN MATERIAL AFFECTING NORMAL OPERATIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          CLEAR                                                    UNLIMITED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      70
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          315                                                       15
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR                                                      NONE
        REMARKS- POSITIONING BLASTING CHGS.LONG LINE DRAPED OVR TREES & WAS CAUGHT UP IN T/R.WIND GUSTS TO 20KTS.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4237V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4237V), registered now, S/N 261 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL UH1B
- Registry model: [Bell UH-1B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-uh-1b) (registry code 1181410) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Engines: turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19810626037409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810626037409A), Jun 26, 1981: Bell UH1B, Heart Butte, MT, Substantial damage. Helicopter crashed during landing. Line that attached to aircraft caught in trees then in tail rotor.

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.

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