Bell UH-1B N840MC
29 September 1989 · Plains, Georgia, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 29 September 1989 at about 20:40 local time, a Bell UH-1B registered N840MC was involved in an accident near Plains, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:40
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Plains, Georgia, United States
- Coordinates
- 32.0698, -84.2192
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1B
- Registration
- N840MC
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Positioning
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Plains → Buena Vista
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL89DKG06
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
IMPROPER MODIFICATION OF THE HELICOPTER BY THE COMPANY/OPERATOR, AND FAILURE OF THE SPRAY BOOM, WHICH RESULTED IN MAST BUMPING, AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
DURING A POSITIONING FLT, AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE HELICOPTER OCCURRED IN THE VICINITY OF WHERE IT WAS CROSSING A LINE OF TREES BETWEEN 2 CLEARED AREAS. WRECKAGE WAS FOUND SCATTERED OVER AN AREA OF APRX 300 YDS IN LENGTH, ALONG A HEADING OF 340 DEG. AT THE SE END, PIECES WERE FOUND FROM THE LEFT SPRAY BOOM & MAIN ROTOR AERODYNAMIC FAIRING. FURTHER TO THE NW, VARIOUS PARTS WERE FOUND FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER, LEFT SPRAY BOOM & TAIL ROTOR. THE MAIN ROTOR & MAIN ROTOR HUB WERE FOUND ABOUT 120 YDS TO THE RIGHT OF THE WRECKAGE PATH. THE FUSELAGE, ENG & TRANS- MISSION WERE FOUND ABOUT 240 YDS NW OF THE 1ST PART OF THE WRECKAGE. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM HAD SEPARATED DUE TO MAST BUMPING. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE LEFT SPRAY BOOM HAD CONTACTED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES DURING FLT. ALL OF THE FRACTURES OF THE SPRAY BOOM, STEEL TRUSS & ASSOC LUGS INDCD OVERLOAD FAILURE IN AFT & UPWARD DRCTN. THE SPRAY ASSEMBLY & BOOM HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR PART 23.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell UH-1B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 May 1989 | Bell UH-1B | Oldtown, Maryland, United States | Precision Air Services, Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
| 6 May 1990 | Bell UH-1B | Ulysses, Kansas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 Mar 1988 | Bell UH-1B | Arvin, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 14 Aug 1990 | Bell UH-1B | Bieber, California, United States | Intermountain Air Services | Serious injuries | - |
| 21 Jun 1990 | Bell UH-1B | Yakima, Washington, United States | Usda Forest Service | No injuries | - |
| 12 Jan 1990 | Bell UH-1B | San Diego, Texas, United States | Coastal Corporation | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun 1989 | Cessna 172 | Franklin, Georgia, United States | Dale Spangler | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Jun 1989 | Boeing 737-291 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 6 Aug 1989 | Cessna 177B | Fort Gaines, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Aug 1989 | Piper PA-38-112 | Gainesville, Georgia, United States | Belle Isle Int'l Acft Sales | No injuries | - |
| 10 Sep 1989 | Aeronca 7AC | Screven, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Sep 1989 | Sikorsky H-34J | Louisville, Georgia, United States | Clifton D. McGowan | No injuries | - |