Garlick UH-1H accident near Addy, Washington, June 3, 1997
On June 3, 1997 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Garlick UH-1H (helicopter), registered N85NW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Addy, Washington. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 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
The inflight failure of the K-FLEX engine-to-gear box drive shaft and no suitable site in which to make a forced/emergency landing. A factor was the mountainous/hilly terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1997 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Addy, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Garlick UH-1H
- Registration
- N85NW · no longer on the register · serial 66-0792
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While returning to pick up another log, the pilot heard a high-speed shredding sound' accompanied by high-frequency vibrations. As the noise and vibration increased, the pilot turned downhill and looked for a location where he could make an emergency landing. He then heard a second loud noise, and the rotor RPM immediately began to decay. He stretched his glide over the 130 foot high trees and managed to maneuver the helicopter so that it 'fell into' a switchback on an old dirt logging road. A post accident examination of the K-FLEX drive shaft, which runs between the engine and the transmission, revealed that one of its flex band legs had experienced an inflight fatigue fracture. A review of the records revealed that the shaft had accumulated 459 hours while being used by the United States Army, and had accumulated an additional 432 hours during civilian logging operations.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,100 hours in all; 2,590 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,782 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1997; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L-13B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°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.