BELL UH-1B near Amherstdale, WV — 2022-06-22

Probable cause

the operator’s failure to adequately inspect the former military turbine powered helicopter, which allowed an engine issue to progress and result in a loss of engine power and a subsequent loss of control after the helicopter struck powerlines during a forced landing. Also causal to the accident were the following: 1) the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) inadequate inspection and maintenance standards for former military turbine powered aircraft operating with an experimental exhibition airworthiness certificate; 2) the operator’s use of those standards instead of more rigorous standards, which were readily available to the operator and previously used to inspect and maintain the helicopter; and 3) the FAA’s inadequate oversight of the operator, which did not detect the inherent risk associated with the operation.

NTSB narrative

On June 22, 2022, about 1645 eastern daylight time, a Bell Helicopter UH-1B helicopter, N98F, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in Amherstdale, West Virginia. About 15 minutes after the flight departed, the helicopter impacted two powerlines and a rock face during a forced landing, and a postcrash fire ensued. The pilot and five passengers were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated by MARPAT Aviation under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91

NTSB coding

• Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) · Autorotation
• Maintenance

Evidence available

• 30 docket documents

Docket documents30

• EVIDENCE CONTROL FORMSform
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 4 - PILOT INFORMATIONform
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 6 - N98F REGISTRATION INFORMATIONform
• RELEASE OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE, NTSB FORM 6120.15form
• OPERATIONS - ATTACHMENT 2 - WITNESS INTERVIEWSinterview
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 1 - INTERVIEWSinterview
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 3 - FAA INTERVIEW SUMMARIESinterview
• MARPAT UH-1B 100-HOUR/ANNUAL INSPECTION CHECKLISTother
• OPERATIONS - ATTACHMENT 11 - MARPAT WEBSITEother
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 10 - SAFETY PILOT'S UH-1B CHECKLISTother
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 12 - MARPAT PROGRAM LETTERS (2014-2022)other
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 13 - FAA LEGAL INTERPRETATIONSother
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 5 - N98F AIRWORTHINESS RECORDSother
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 7 - MARPAT FUELING RECORDSother
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 8 - ARMY UH-1B TECHNICAL MANUAL EXCERPTSother
• OPERATIONS ATTACHMENT 9 - ARMY UH-1B PILOT CHECKLISTother
• AIRWORTHINESS ATTACHMENT 1 - FAA ORDER 8130.2G EXCERPTreport
• AIRWORTHINESS ATTACHMENT 2 - FAA ORDER 8130.2G DEVIATION MEMOreport
• AIRWORTHINESS ATTACHMENT 3 - FAA ORDER 8130.2H EXCERPTreport
• AIRWORTHINESS ATTACHMENT 4 - FAA ORDER 8130.2J EXCERPTreport
• AIRWORTHINESS ATTACHMENT 5 - FAA AC 43-209Areport
• AIRWORTHINESS ATTACHMENT 6 - UH-1 INSPECTION PLANNING GUIDEreport
• AIRWORTHINESS ATTACHMENT 7 - MARPAT WORK ORDERSreport
• AIRWORTHINESS ATTACHMENT 8 - SELECT N98F RECORDSreport
• AIRWORTHINESS GROUP CHAIR'S FACTUAL REPORTreport
• MATERIALS LABORATORY FACTUAL REPORT 22-054report
• MATERIALS LABORATORY FACTUAL REPORT 23-005report
• OPERATIONS GROUP CHAIR'S FACTUAL REPORTreport
• POWERPLANTS FACTUALreport
• TOXICOLOGICAL REPORT - PILOT IN COMMANDreport

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