Bell BH 206-L111 N3898Y

Summary

On 24 February 1983 at about 20:30 local time, a Bell BH 206-L111 registered N3898Y, operated by Energy Fuels Nuclear, Inc., was involved in an accident near Peach Springs, Arizona, United States. 5 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

24 February 1983 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Peach Springs, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

35.6406, -113.6106

Aircraft

Bell BH 206-L111

Registration

N3898Y

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Energy Fuels Nuclear, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Savanic Mine → Cunningham Mine

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX83LA117

Nobody was injured.

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

AFTER THE ROTORCRAFT TOOK OFF TO A HOVER THE PILOT DID A PEDAL TURN FOR A DOWN CANYON DEPARTURE. AFTER THE HOVER TURN THE PILOT SLID TO THE RIGHT TO CLEAR SOME OBSTACLES AND WHEN THE ROTORCRAFT MOVED LATERALLY ABOUT 25 FEET THE PILOT HEARD A BANG. THE LEFT PEDAL WAS SLACKED AND THE ROTORCRAFT BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT UNTIL IT CAME TO REST 10 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO FIRE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR SHAFT ASSEMBLY FAILED BETWEEN NUMBER 3 AND 4 HANGER BEARINGS. THE NUTS THAT HOLD EACH ASSEMBLY TOGETHER WERE MISSING. THE BOLTS WERE NOT SHEARED. ONE WAS FOUND IN THE ROCKS BELOW THE TAIL ROTOR. THE OTHER WAS STILL IN PLACE. NO NUTS WERE FOUND AT THE CRASH SCENE. THE FACTORY RECOMMENDED BLUE DOTS WERE MISSING WHEN THE NEW NUTS WERE REPLACED BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.