Garlick UH-1B accident near Kettle Falls, Washington, May 8, 2015
On May 8, 2015, a Garlick UH-1B (helicopter), registered N46969, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Kettle Falls, Washington. It was an external-load flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to foreign object (towel) ingestion. Contributing to the accident was maintenance personnel’s inadequate postmaintenance inspection of the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2015 · cases in 2015
- Place
- Kettle Falls, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Garlick UH-1B
- Registration
- N46969 · registry record · serial 63-8548
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- External-load flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting an external load logging flight in the helicopter. A review of maintenance records revealed that, on the day of the accident, the engine had been replaced with an overhauled engine. Following the maintenance, the pilot completed one logging cycle without incident. The pilot reported that, about 50 minutes into the second cycle, she heard a loud screeching/grinding noise followed by a muffled "bang." The low rotor rpm horn sounded, and she initiated an autorotation. The helicopter touched down, impacted trees, rolled down sloped terrain, and then came to rest. A postaccident examination of the engine's particle separator assembly revealed that it was intact and installed properly on the air inlet section; however, the inlet guide vanes exhibited signatures consistent with foreign object damage, and a material consistent with a towel was found within the vanes. Given the damage signatures and the found material, it is likely that maintenance personnel did not adequately inspect the engine area after installing the overhauled engine and left a towel in its compressor section, which the engine subsequently ingested and resulted in a total loss of power.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Air inlet section (core eng) › Failure other cases naming the engine
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on equipment
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › (general) › Inadequate inspection
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Post maintenance inspection › Maintenance personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,450 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 24, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,111 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 7, 2015; 1 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: R & R Conner Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Kettle Falls WA
- Destination: Kettle Falls WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on May 9, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Airframe Examination | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Examination | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Record Excerpts | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N46969 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N46969 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Lycoming T53 60 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,662 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N46969 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR15LA159.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.