Bell UH-1B accident near Labelle, Florida, March 11, 1997
On March 11, 1997 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bell UH-1B (helicopter), registered N70696, was destroyed in an accident near Labelle, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Company maintenance personnel's failure to properly evaluate a main rotor system problem resulting in main rotor straps with multiple laminates separated due to fatigue cracking being allowed to continue in service until failure and separation of a main rotor blade.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1997 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Labelle, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1B · all UH-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N70696 · no longer on the register · serial 62-2088
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A main rotor blade had been changed during troubleshooting of the main rotor system. While in a hover to track and balance the rotor system, the other main rotor blade and grip separated. Examination showed the main rotor blade and grip separated due to fatigue cracking of 40 out of 49 main blade strap laminates. The blade that had been change and did not separate was found to have 26 out of 49 main blade strap laminates separated due to fatigue. The fatigue initiated at the strap pin hole. The main blade straps have a life limit of 1,200 flight hours. Logbook records showed the main blade straps were installed in the rotor hub assembly during overhaul in Singapore, 640.4 flight hours before failure. The main rotor straps were reported to be new when installed.
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: 20,550 hours in all; 8,600 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,662 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 14, 1996; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53L11D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Colony Services, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 pm from RSW, 20 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.
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.