Bell UH1B accident near Clear, AK
On June 27, 2022, a Bell UH1B (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Clear, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 27, 2022
- Place
- Clear, AK
- Aircraft
- Bell UH1B · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 64.301°N, 149.115°W
- NTSB ID
- 20220627105359
Official records · ANC22FA047
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 26, 2022, about 1938 Alaska daylight time, a Bell UH-1B helicopter, N9970F, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Clear, Alaska. The pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was operated by Northern Pioneer Helicopters LLC as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133 external load flight. The operator reported that the helicopter was stationed at Clear Airport (Z84), Clear, Alaska, to support wildland firefighting operations. The purpose of the flight was to longline equipment to firefighters working on the ground. Numerous witnesses reported that, after a normal liftoff, the helicopter was hovering with the longline fully extended as it maneuvered to hook up to the external load when a loud “snap” or “bang” was heard. One witness stated that the helicopter “bucked” and that he observed the pilot attempting to regain control of the helicopter as it descended. The helicopter subsequently rolled to the right, entered a nose-low descent, and impacted the ground before bursting into flames. A witness video camera captured the helicopter’s final seconds before impact with the ground. A review of the recording revealed that that the helicopter was hovering with the 125-ft longline fully extended below the helicopter, and the hook at the end of the line was about 15 ft above the ground. As the pilot maneuvered the helicopter to hook up to the external load, a loud mechanical noise could be heard, after which a shudder is seen radiating through the helicopter’s airframe, followed by an extreme roll to the right past 90°, and a nose-l
Probable cause
A loss of control for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
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Browse: Alaska · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
