Bell TH-1L accident near Greenville, Florida, February 8, 1989
On February 8, 1989 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Bell TH-1L (helicopter), registered N204AP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INSTALLATION OF THE IMPROPER SPRAG CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BY THE OWNERS MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE SPRAG CLUTCH AND THE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION DRIVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 1989 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell TH-1L
- Registration
- N204AP · no longer on the register · serial 157840
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF TRANSMISSION DRIVE AND PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION INTO TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION INDICATED THE SPRAG CLUTCH HAD FAILED AND THAT THE FAILED SPRAG CLUTCH WAS THE IMPROPER CLUTCH FOR THAT ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. THE CLUTCH HAD BEEN INSTALLED AT TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL 140 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,853 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 7,644 as pilot in command; 90 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,092 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 26, 1989; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L-13B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Green Mountain Helicopter, INC
The flight
- Departed from: Greenville FL at 4:18 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 pm from TLH, 36 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N204AP 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.