Bell UH-1B accident near Lorida, Florida, June 28, 1996
On June 28, 1996 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Bell UH-1B (helicopter), registered N9846F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lorida, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of company maintenance personnel to properly torque the tail rotor 90 degree gear box mounting bolts during installation, which resulted in failure of the mounting studs due to bending fatigue and subsequent separation of the gearbox.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1996 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lorida, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1B · all UH-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9846F · no longer on the register · serial 61-786
- 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 tail rotor gearbox, hub, and blades separated from the helicopter during flight. The helicopter then began to spin to the right. The pilot reduced engine power and leveled the helicopter; however, it touched down moving sideways, and the main rotor contacted the ground. Postcrash examination of the gearbox showed the gear box mounting studs had failed due to bending fatigue, which was a result of the mounting bolts not being torqued properly. Logbook records showed the gearbox had been replaced 95 flight 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,350 hours in all; 8,500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,180 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 21, 1996; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T-53-L11D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from VRB, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.