Bell UH-1H N52AG

Summary

On 16 May 2000 at about 23:00 local time, a Bell UH-1H registered N52AG was involved in an accident near Frenchville, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 May 2000 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Frenchville, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

41.1396, -78.2408

Aircraft

Bell UH-1H

Registration

N52AG

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC00FA136

1 person died.

Foreign object damage to the compressor and turbine sections of the engine, which resulted in a loss of power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter was on its fourth spray mission of the day, and the pilot's 51st spray mission for the season, when the accident occurred. The helicopter returned from the third mission, was refueled, reloaded, and departed. The helicopter then crashed a couple of minutes after takeoff in a wooded area. The weather was clear at the time of the accident. Main-rotor blade, and tail-rotor blade damage was consistent with low rotor rpm at impact. Examination of the transmission revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions. Examination of the engine revealed that the compressor and turbine sections of the engine had been exposed to a large amount of aluminum from an unknown source prior to impacting the trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.