Garlick UH-1H accident near Hope, Idaho, May 19, 1998
On May 19, 1998 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Garlick UH-1H (helicopter), registered N98NW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hope, Idaho. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
Failure of a misaligned main bearing in the engine. Factors include returning a previously unairworthy-tagged engine to service by the operator's maintenance personnel without sufficient information to identify and correct an unknown engine deficiency.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1998 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hope, Idaho · 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
- N98NW · registry record · serial 64-13822
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had dropped off a load of chokers and was maneuvering to hook up to a load of logs when the engine began to make 'a weird squealing noise, followed by a constant series of compressor stalls, occurring about twice per second.' The airplane then lost all engine power, and the pilot performed a forced landing in a clearing. Post Crash Examination revealed that the No. 1 bearing (P/N:1-300-015-04; S/N:127AC) was heavily damaged. From observations of damage on the bearing raceways and the inner ring split faces, evidence indicated that both thrust and non-thrust sides of the inner ring had been misaligned, based upon ball path indications. Military records for the engine included an Unserviceable Tag. No evidence was found of specifics related to that failure code, nor was evidence found recording related corrective maintenance action
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,700 hours in all; 6,700 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 11,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,590 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 1998; 3 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: ID at 4:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.
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.