Accident · 2020-04-24
What the record says
- Event date
- 2020-04-24
- Event type
- Accident
- Highest injury level
- Fatal injury
- Aircraft
- Bell UH 1H (N3276T)
- Operating rule
- Part 91
- Operator
- Southwest Rotors Operator named in NTSB report
- Operated by (per NTSB report)
- Southwest Rotors
Probable cause
An in-flight separation of the tail rotor gearbox from the airframe due to fatigue failure of the gearbox attachment studs, resulting in a loss of directional control and subsequent ground impact. Contributing to the accident were 1) the improper application of paint on the clamping surfaces between the tail rotor gearbox and the vertical stabilizer that led to the initiation of fatigue fractures on the gearbox attachment studs and 2) the lack of a requirement to check the torque of the gearbox attachment hardware after installation of a gearbox onto the airframe.
Source: NTSB case WPR20LA130Flight crew
Certification and experience as recorded in the NTSB accident database for this event. The NTSB records these facts about the crew's flying history; GroundCheck shows them as filed, without names or identities.
| Role | Certificate | Instrument rating | Age | Medical | Flight hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot pilot flying | Airline transport pilot / Commercial | Airplane / Helicopter | 55 | Class 1 (2019-12-16) | 11,550 total |
| Pilot pilot flying | Commercial | Helicopter | 23 | Class 2 (2018-03-02) | 714 total · 32 in this make/model · 543 as PIC · 52 last 90 days |
Facts as the NTSB records them — GroundCheck adds no judgement. Preliminary records may be revised as the investigation proceeds.