Final NTSB investigations: Bell UH-1L

9 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Bell UH-1L. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.

Defining event

Finding

Phase of flight

Aircraft model

Cases per year

19862026

Final NTSB investigations: Bell UH-1L per year, 1986–2026: 9 cases
1986	1
1988	1
1989	3
1994	2
1995	1
1998	1

Where

Open the map

Latest cases

Query with 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."completionStatus" = 'Completed' AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1181401')) ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

duckdb -csv -c "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.\"completionStatus\" = 'Completed'
    AND c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1181401'))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

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."completionStatus" = 'Completed'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1181401'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

Run it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.

NTSB FTW98LA405Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell UH-1L · Price, UTThe pilot's inadvertent loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Factors were the high density altitude flight conditions, the unfavorable wind condition, and the none suitable terrain for an autorotation.Sep 19, 1998 · N5107J · Substantial damage NTSB SEA95LA221Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell UH-1L · Grace, IDthe fatigue failure of the centrifugal impeller and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing. Factors contributing to the accident were: the lack of required compliance with the FAA Airworthiness Directive by the operator, the insufficiently defined…Sep 18, 1995 · N70410 · Destroyed NTSB LAX95LA030Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell UH-1E · Willits, CAthat the pilot misjudged the distance between the helicopter and the trees.Nov 1, 1994 · N5088J · Substantial damage NTSB LAX94LA208Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell UH-1L · Pleasant Grove, CAthe pilot's failure to see and avoid the power lines due to sun glare from the rising sun at dawn.May 2, 1994 · N204RW · Destroyed NTSB LAX90DUJ05Accident · No injuriesFinal reportBell UH-1E · Mesa, AZThe inflight separation of the tail rotor due to improper maintenance procedures and the installation of incorrect attachment hardware on the tail rotor blade pitch change linkages.Nov 4, 1989 · N138US · Destroyed NTSB SEA89FA111Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportOregon Helicopters UH-1L · Baring, WAFatigue failure of the tail rotor 42 degree gear box due to pilot induced overstress. Navy data and FAA type certificate limitations were not adhered to.Jun 14, 1989 · N157LC · Destroyed NTSB ATL89FA130Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportBell UH-1E · Aiken, SCImproper installation of a tail rotor pitch change crosshead retention bolt by the company mechanic, which resulted in loosening of the bolt and eventual failure of the tail rotor assembly/blade and subsequent loss of control. Trees at the crash site…Apr 17, 1989 · N118HS · Substantial damage NTSB SEA88LA143Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell UH-1E · North Bend, ORDrg a logging opn, the plt noted an apparent transmission malfunction. An autorotative landing was made on unprepared terrain & the helicopter was damaged. An investigation revealed the tail rotor drive input gear in the 42 deg gearbox had failed from…Aug 4, 1988 · N151LC · Substantial damage NTSB SEA86FA137Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportBell UH-1L · Wenatchee, WAN4964N, a Bell UH-1L, was being operated in logging ops by an experienced, military trained plt who possessed 6000 hrs of flt experience in model. While lifting a sling load gnd crew rptd smoke from the tail rotor area. Plt released sling load & acknowledged…May 31, 1986 · N4964N · Destroyed