Garlick UH-1B accident near Dayville, Oregon, August 29, 1997
On August 29, 1997 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Garlick UH-1B (helicopter), registered N22753, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dayville, Oregon. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Improper installation of the transmission door by a company mechanic, resulting in inflight separation of the door (which then struck the tail rotor system) and consequent total loss of the tail rotor. Contributing to the accident were: inadequate recordkeeping by a company mechanic, and attainment of proper descent rate for the forced landing touchdown was not possible.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1997 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dayville, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Garlick UH-1B
- Registration
- N22753 · registry record · serial 64-13985
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While cruising at 2,000 feet above ground level and 100 knots, the helicopter's right transmission door separated from the aircraft, striking the tail rotor and 90-degree gearbox and knocking them off the aircraft. The pilot entered an autorotative descent to a forced landing in a field, but was unable to raise the collective for touchdown without inducing undesirable yaw. The aircraft landed hard in the forced landing. An FAA inspector found that the two rear cowl latch blocks (which attach the aft end of the separated door to the engine firewall) were missing and did not appear to have been installed, and that the cowl top latch was also unlocked. This enabled the door to lift enough to slide aft out of the front latches and separate from the aircraft. The FAA inspector subsequently found that the company mechanic who removed the latch blocks had not entered the work in the helicopter maintenance records, and that another company mechanic who reinstalled the cowls did not notice the blocks were missing and also improperly locked the top latch.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 10,000 as pilot in command; 273 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,875 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 8, 1997; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L-13B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Prairie City OR at 6:40 pm
- Destination: Prineville OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.