Bell UH-1H accident near Chapelle, New Mexico, July 17, 2022
On July 17, 2022 at about 1:20 am local time, a 1970 Bell UH-1H (helicopter), registered N911SZ, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Chapelle, New Mexico. It was a positioning flight under public-use (government) rules. 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of the starter-generator input (zerol) gear which failed due to poor maintenance. Contributing to the accident was the unsuccessful autorotation complicated by the setting sun and high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2022 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Chapelle, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1H, built 1970 · all UH-1Hs on the register
- Registration
- N911SZ · registry record · serial 70-16431
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the helicopter, two tactical flight observers, and a rescue specialist were returning to their home airport after conducting firefighting operations. While in a west-bound cruise flight about 500 to 600 ft about ground level (agl), the helicopter entered a descent that rapidly increased to over 5,000 ft per minute, and impacted terrain in a tail-low attitude. The helicopter was destroyed during the impact with terrain. Examination of the engine revealed that the starter-generator input (zerol) gear failed due to fatigue. This failure led to the starter-generator driveshaft shearing, N1 accessory gearbox seizure, and a total loss of engine power. An examination of the remaining helicopter systems revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. About 17 flight hours before the accident, an engine chip event occurred, and a small piece of ferrous metal was found on the magnetic chip plug. Following the chip event the oil system was drained and flushed and the filter elements were removed, cleaned, and reinstalled. No further engine chip lights were reported after the engine chip event. The chip and oil sample were shipped to a lab for analysis. The results of the lab analysis were not used by the operator to troubleshoot the reason for the chip event. Had the operator conducted an analysis, they could have potentially identified the deteriorating component and impending failure. The helicopter’s low altitude (500 to 600 ft agl) during the return leg made the transition from powered flight to autorotation after an unexpected loss of engine power more time critical. The high density altitude conditions, combined with flight directly into the setting sun, may have contributed to the unsuccessful autorotation following the total loss of engine power.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Autorotation Loss of engine power (total)
- Autorotation Loss of control in flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Accessory drives › Failure
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › (general) › Effect on personnel
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 24, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,583 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 24, 2022; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L703 (turboshaft); 2,300 hours total
- Operator: Bernalillo County Sheriffs Department
The flight
- Departed from: LVS Las Vegas NM
- Destination: AEG Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KLVS, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLVS 170153Z AUTO 15011KT 10SM SCT110 27/03 A3023 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W AND NW SLP111 T02670028
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 4 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN22FA317.