Bell UH-1H accident near Rockford, Alabama, December 16, 2004
On December 16, 2004 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Bell UH-1H (helicopter), registered N51AG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockford, Alabama. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2004 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Rockford, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1H · all UH-1Hs on the register
- Registration
- N51AG · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during a turn while applying fertilizer over pine trees he heard a "loud bang"; at the same time he lost tail rotor authority. The pilot attempted to level the helicopter and settled into the trees. Post accident examination reveal the helicopter was upright and on its skids. Flight control continuity was established with the cyclic and the collective controls. Examination of the tail rotor blades revealed leading edge damage on both blades. Examination of the helicopter revealed the lower fuselage was buckled and the tail rotor rear housing of the tail rotor gearbox transmission was broken and cracked. The tail rotor assembly was examined and revealed that the fracture features on the case assembly indicated an overload event. The wear patterns on the teeth of the bevel gears within the gearbox indicated that they were forced apart. There were no indications of any pre-exiting conditions on the components examined that would suggest a failure before the tail rotor strike.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Agrotors Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Rockford AL at 10:00 pm
- Destination: Rockford AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.47 inHg
- Observation at 4:20 pm from ALX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N51AG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.