Western International UH-1H accident near Darby, Montana, February 7, 2001
On February 7, 2001 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Western International UH-1H (helicopter), registered N205GL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Darby, Montana. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inflight loss of a tail rotor pitch change link-to-blade grip attach bolt, resulting partial loss of tail rotor control, and subsequent entanglement of the helicopter's external load cable with a tree during emergency descent. Factors included the pilot's retention of external load equipment, and the tree in which the external load cable became entangled.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2001 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Darby, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Western International UH-1H
- Registration
- N205GL · no longer on the register · serial 74-22356
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on the last half of his first external load of the afternoon when he reported over the radio, " tail rotor failure, look out landing" (referring to the log landing crew.) The pilot released his logs from the lower hook, but retained his 150-foot line. He flew over the log landing to regain airspeed, but the helicopter's long line then snagged a tree on the far side of the landing, causing the aircraft to roll left and pitch nose down. The aircraft impacted the ground 250 feet from the snagged tree, nose low, with between 100 and 130 degrees of left roll, landing on the top left crew door post. During post-accident examination, one of the pitch links on the tail rotor hub was found disconnected from the pitch horn on the tail rotor grip. The attaching bolt, nut, cotter key and washers associated with the disconnected tail rotor pitch link were missing and were not located. No other evidence of inflight malfunction of the tail rotor drive train or tail rotor control system was noted. Examination of the tail rotor pitch change links and blade grip horns at the NTSB Materials Laboratory disclosed evidence of a complete loss of the pitch change link-to-blade grip horn attach bolt before ground impact, as a result of either its nut backing off inflight or of the bolt itself fracturing inflight.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,150 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 414 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 19,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 16, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,387.2 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 30, 2001; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L-13B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Darby MT at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.