Bell UH-1H N667HP
16 July 2007 · Benchmark, Montana, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 16 July 2007 at about 15:10 local time, a Bell UH-1H registered N667HP, operated by United States Forest Service, was involved in an accident near Benchmark, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:10
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Benchmark, Montana, United States
- Coordinates
- 47.5275, -113.0342
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1H
- Registration
- N667HP
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- United States Forest Service
- Operating rule
- Public Use
- Purpose of flight
- External Load
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Benchmark → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA07TA202
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
Dense smoke/haze which restricted the pilot's visibility and the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the emergency descent resulting in impact with terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The purpose of the flight was to carry an external load in support of firefighting activity. The pilot departed from a nearby helibase with a visibility of 5 miles under moderate smoky conditions. While en route to another landing zone, the visibility deteriorated and the pilot reported difficulty seeing the landing zone. The pilot successfully landed at the landing zone without incident and set down a load of supplies. The ground crew then attached a load of firefighting equipment that was to be returned to the helibase. As the pilot transitioned to forward flight to depart from the landing zone, the visibility dropped, and he reportedly lost all visual reference. The helicopter settled into trees and impacted the ground, coming to rest on its right side. In the area of the landing zone at the time of the accident, the visibility was reported to be fluctuating between 1/4 to 1 mile due to smoke.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Bell UH-1H accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 2006 | Bell UH-1H | Yuba City, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Nov 2006 | Bell UH-1H | Melrose, New Mexico, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 30 Jun 2006 | Bell UH-1H | Chicago, Illinois, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Jul 2008 | Bell UH-1H | Rock Springs, Wyoming, United States | Leading Edge Aviation | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Feb 2009 | Bell UH-1H | Chanco, Chile | Sociedad Aero Flight Service | Fatal | 13 |
| 26 Sep 2005 | Bell UH-1H | Pisa Flores, Mexico | Comision Federal de Electricidad | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jun 2007 | Cessna 210F | Denton, Montana, United States | William Booty | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 2007 | Cessna 172L | Helena, Montana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Jun 2007 | Aviat HUSKY A1-B | Winston, Montana, United States | Jon C Kantorowicz | Serious injuries | - |
| 5 Mar 2007 | Bell 206 B3 | Custer, Montana, United States | Dan S. Scott | No injuries | - |
| 28 Apr 2007 | Britten-Norman BN-2A-20 | Hamilton, Montana, United States | McCall Aviation | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Jul 2007 | Bell 206B II | Sheep Mountain, Montana, United States | Ronald L. Young | Minor injuries | - |