Bell UH-1H accident near Santa Barbara, California, June 24, 2010
On June 24, 2010 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bell UH-1H (helicopter), registered N205KS, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Santa Barbara, California. It was a public-use flight (local) under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of left tailboom upper attachment fitting as a result of fatigue.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2010 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Barbara, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1H · all UH-1Hs on the register
- Registration
- N205KS · registry record · serial 9526
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (local) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter experienced a structural failure in one of the tailboom attach fittings while hovering near a cliff, about 200 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot heard a loud sound and felt the helicopter yaw slightly. He made a precautionary landing without incident. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed the left tailboom upper attachment fitting had fractured as a result of fatigue. The fatigue origin most likely emanated from fretting and/or corrosion pits at the fastener to fitting interface. There was no engineering data showing how the combination of the multiple STC modifications of the helicopter affected the helicopter's structural integrity.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Rotorcraft tail boom › Failure
Crew member
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,760 hours in all; 12,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 8, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,609 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honeywell T53-L-703 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Santa Barbara County Fire
The flight
- Departed from: Santa Barbara CA
- Destination: Santa Barbara CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N205KS 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.