Bell/Garlick UH-1H accident near Dayton, Washington, March 8, 2002
On March 8, 2002 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Bell/Garlick UH-1H (helicopter), registered N116DR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dayton, Washington. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of power for undetermined reason(s). Contributing factors were the pilot's delayed decision to jettison the empty bucket and the trees impacted during the auto-rotation landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2002 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Dayton, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell/Garlick UH-1H
- Registration
- N116DR · no longer on the register · serial 66-16949
- 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 pilot of the UH-1H rotorcraft had completed a fertilizer drop and was returning to the servicing area for fuel with the empty, 300 pound bucket attached by a 30 foot line. While approximately 300 feet above ground, he heard a series of loud reports coming from the engine, the rotorcraft yawed and the low RPM audio warning sounded. The pilot lowered collective and then maneuvered the rotorcraft towards an area of smaller trees. He then jettisoned the empty bucket and executed a hard auto-rotation landing on a road striking trees in the process. Post crash examination revealed approximately 30 gallons(~210 pounds) of fuel in the fuel tanks. The pilot reported that the rotorcraft was equipped with a low fuel warning system, which included an annunciator light that illuminated with approximately 170 pounds of fuel remaining, and that the annunciator light normally illuminated when the rotorcraft was flying with a load due to adverse operating angles. Once the rotorcraft's load was released and the rotorcraft returned to a level attitude, the light extinguished. He reported that the light is designed to provide a 20 minute warning before fuel is exhausted. He also remarked that the system was operating normally prior to the accident and that during the return flight after the last fertilizer drop, the light remained illuminated. The rotorcraft's Lycoming/Honeywell T53-L13B turboshaft engine was examined and no mechanical malfunction of the engine was found. The fuel system and its indicating system was examined with no discrepancy noted and fuel was found at the fuel control filter. The fuel control was examined and bench checked at the facilities of B.F. Goodrich, Pump & Engine Control Systems and no significant anomalies were noted during the examination and testing.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,340 hours in all; 3,189 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 8,944 as pilot in command; 392 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 13, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,128 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 27, 2002; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming/Honeywell T53-L13B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dayton WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft; a few clouds at 700 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from OLM, 22 miles away
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.