Garlick UH-1B N22753

Summary

On 29 August 1997 at about 19:15 local time, a Garlick UH-1B registered N22753 was involved in an accident near Dayville, Oregon, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 August 1997 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Dayville, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

44.4599, -119.5009

Aircraft

Garlick UH-1B

Registration

N22753

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Prairie City → Prineville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA97LA198

1 person was seriously injured.

Improper installation of the transmission door by a company mechanic, resulting in inflight separation of the door (which then struck the tail rotor system) and consequent total loss of the tail rotor. Contributing to the accident were: inadequate recordkeeping by a company mechanic, and attainment of proper descent rate for the forced landing touchdown was not possible.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While cruising at 2,000 feet above ground level and 100 knots, the helicopter's right transmission door separated from the aircraft, striking the tail rotor and 90-degree gearbox and knocking them off the aircraft. The pilot entered an autorotative descent to a forced landing in a field, but was unable to raise the collective for touchdown without inducing undesirable yaw. The aircraft landed hard in the forced landing. An FAA inspector found that the two rear cowl latch blocks (which attach the aft end of the separated door to the engine firewall) were missing and did not appear to have been installed, and that the cowl top latch was also unlocked. This enabled the door to lift enough to slide aft out of the front latches and separate from the aircraft. The FAA inspector subsequently found that the company mechanic who removed the latch blocks had not entered the work in the helicopter maintenance records, and that another company mechanic who reinstalled the cowls did not notice the blocks were missing and also improperly locked the top latch.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.