Garlick UH-1H accident near Detroit, Oregon, October 20, 1996
On October 20, 1996 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Garlick UH-1H (helicopter), registered N98NW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Detroit, Oregon. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudgement of rotor clearance from the terrain. The proximity of the berm was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 1996 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Detroit, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Garlick UH-1H
- Registration
- N98NW · registry record · serial 4529
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had just landed at a remote site after emptying his bucket. As he unloaded the main rotor, it contacted a berm on the right side of the helicopter. This resulted in a sudden stoppage and damage to the transmission.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,700 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 5,250 as pilot in command; 233 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,360 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 3, 1996; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T55-L-13B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N98NW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.