Bell UH1B N96142

Summary

On 27 January 1982 at about 22:30 local time, a Bell UH1B registered N96142, operated by Roland E. Maxwell, was involved in an accident near Lagunitas, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

27 January 1982 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lagunitas, California, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bell UH1B

Registration

N96142

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Roland E. Maxwell

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lagunitas → Lagunitas

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX82FA061

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.