Richards Heavylift Helo INC UH-1H accident near Norris City, Illinois, May 10, 2021
On May 10, 2021 at about 6:20 pm local time, a 1966 Richards Heavylift Helo INC UH-1H (helicopter), registered N567VF, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Norris City, Illinois. 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 improper positioning of the helicopter on the landing pad, and his failure to monitor and control the helicopter as fuel and chemical product were loaded, which led to the helicopter tipping and sliding off the landing pad, and subsequently impacting the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2021 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Norris City, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Richards Heavylift Helo INC UH-1H, built 1966
- Registration
- N567VF · registry record · serial 65-10016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after landing on a trailer landing pad for the purpose of hot refueling and loading chemical product onboard, on completing those actions, the helicopter slid backwards off the trailer impacting the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations. The operator reported that the helicopter’s center of gravity required that both skid cross tubes be positioned over the landing pad, which required the front cross tube to be placed precisely near the front of the landing pad. The ground crew and pilot were unsure of the helicopter’s position when it landed but recognized that it was possibly too far aft. Following the accident, the operator installed extensions to the landing pad to provide a larger landing area for the helicopter.
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
What happened, in order
- Ground handling event during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Loading › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,050 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,938 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honeywell T53-L-703 (turboshaft); 1,508 hours total
- Operator: Kash Helicopter Services LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Mount Vernon IL at 1:00 pm
- Destination: New Haven IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 pm from KHSB, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHSB 101815Z AUTO 09005G14KT 10SM CLR 15/01 A3015 RMK AO2 T01460013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 8, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N567VF 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.