- Date
- January 27, 1982, 14:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lagunitas, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N96142Bell UH1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 27, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19820127002199A
- Case key
- 71311
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Analysis
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 was initiated. The aircraft sank upon water contact. Extensive fatigue cracking in the skin, and fretting and loose rivets in the tailboom were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N96142
- Reported as
- Bell UH1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 61-756
- Airframe hours
- 6,116
- Engine
- Lycoming T53L11D, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 133
- Operator
- Roland E. Maxwell
- Registered owner
- Roland E. Maxwell
- Departed
- Lagunitas, CA
- Destination
- Lagunitas, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 600 in this make and model · 4,035 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.