Bell UH-1H N4734F
19 August 1996 · Pendleton, Oregon, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 19 August 1996 at about 17:25 local time, a Bell UH-1H registered N4734F, operated by Usfs, was involved in an accident near Pendleton, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 17:25
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Pendleton, Oregon, United States
- Coordinates
- 45.7295, -118.7907
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1H
- Registration
- N4734F
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Usfs
- Operating rule
- Public Use
- Purpose of flight
- Public Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA96TA192
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
undetermined malfunction/failure of a flight control or hydraulic system. Rough terrain in the emergency landing area was a related factor.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot and helicopter were under contract for firefighting. The helicopter was equipped with a Bambi waterbucket on a cargo hook. The pilot's mission was to fill the water bucket from a pond, then drop the water on a designated part of a nearby fireline. He was en route to the fire drop location, when he experienced a loss of hydraulic control. He noted that the master caution and one caution segment light illuminated. The pilot made a turn to initiate an autorotation to a clear-cut area, but due to low rotor rpm, the helicopter landed hard with substantial downward velocity and some forward speed. The landing skids collapsed and the helicopter rolled to the right. The main rotor blades contacted the ground and the engine remained running at idle power until the fuel lines were exhausted of fuel. After the accident, the flight controls, hydraulic system, electrical system, fuel system, tailrotor system, and transmission were checked. Also, the hydraulic servo actuators, the hydraulic pump, fuel control, and power turbine governor were checked and bench tested. During this postcrash examination, no preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction was found.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell UH-1H accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 1996 | Bell UH-1H | Rainier, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Aug 1996 | Bell UH-1H | Ukiah, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Sep 1996 | Bell UH-1H | Leadville, Colorado, United States | Idaho Helicopters, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Aug 1997 | Bell UH-1H | Tahoe City, California, United States | Usda / Forest Service | Minor injuries | - |
| 7 Aug 1995 | Bell UH-1H | Montgomery, Alabama, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 1997 | Bell UH-1H | Mariquita, Colombia | Government of Colombia | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Aug 1996 | Piper PA-12 | Astoria, Oregon, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 Oct 1996 | Garlick UH-1H | Detroit, Oregon, United States | Usfs | Minor injuries | - |
| 6 Aug 1996 | Grumman American AA-5A | Klamath Falls, Oregon, United States | Sweet, David, N. | No injuries | - |
| 12 Aug 1996 | Jonas EXEC 90 | Hermiston, Oregon, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Aug 1996 | Piper PA-20 | Mulino, Oregon, United States | James K. Warnock | No injuries | - |
| 22 Aug 1996 | Piper PA-38-112 | Sisters, Oregon, United States | Jack's Aircraft | Serious injuries | - |