Accident Bell UH-1H Iroquois N32800,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 352555
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Tuesday 21 September 1999
Time:14:05 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic UH1 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Bell UH-1H Iroquois
Owner/operator:Blue Mountain Helicopters, Inc
Registration: N32800
MSN: 9048
Total airframe hrs:12230 hours
Engine model:Lycoming T53-13
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Usk, WA -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:External load operation
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The UH-1H helicopter, N32800, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain after a loss of control while engaged in external load logging operations near Usk, Washington.

The lower surface of the 90-degree gearbox exhibited fracture surfaces of the six attachment studs. Fretting was observed on the lower surface where the gearbox quill assembly was attached. The fracture surfaces for the six attachment studs each showed one or two relatively flat regions with smooth curving boundaries typical of fatigue. Multiple origin sites were identified on each stud, with observed ratchet marks. All of the origin areas were circumferentially aligned with the center of the gearbox, with origins on both sides of each stud, except for one stud, which had an origin area on only one side. In each case, the larger fatigue region had origins on the counter-clockwise side of the stud (as viewed from above, from the center of the gearbox).

Probable Cause: Fatigue failure of the 90-degree gearbox attachment studs, resulting in separation of the tailrotor and 90-degree gearbox from the vertical fin.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: SEA99LA171
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 7 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB SEA99LA171

History of this aircraft

ex 66-16854

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
08-Mar-2024 08:05 ASN Update Bot Added
08-Mar-2024 08:08 ASN Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Nature, Departure airport, Narrative]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org