Bell UH 1H accident near Mt. Adams, Washington, July 17, 2016
On July 17, 2016 at about 9:09 pm local time, a 1970 Bell UH 1H (helicopter), registered N790RJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Mt. Adams, Washington. It was a public-use flight (local) under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain yaw control as he slowed the helicopter during a landing approach, which resulted in the loss of helicopter control due to the loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2016 · about 9:09 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Adams, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH 1H NO SERIES, built 1970 · all UH 1Hs on the register
- Registration
- N790RJ · registry record · serial 70-16371
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (local) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a public flight in the helicopter to transport two search and rescue personnel to a landing zone located in mountainous terrain at an elevation of about 7,800 ft. The pilot reported that he aborted his first approach, which was from the north, because he felt that he was using too much left pedal. On his second approach, which was from the south, the helicopter yawed right. The pilot recognized that a loss of tail rotor effectiveness was occurring. He attempted to recover control by reducing the collective and applying forward cyclic; however, the helicopter spun and impacted the ground. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that, during the landing approach, as the helicopter's airspeed dropped below effective translational lift and the pilot added power to compensate, there was insufficient left pedal to stop the resulting right yaw, and the pilot lost control of the helicopter due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
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 tail rotor effectiveness during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,110 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,006 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 13, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,849 hours in all; 257 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,635 as pilot in command; 10 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 23, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,885.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 2016
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L-703 (turboshaft); 1,838 hours total
- Operator: King County Sheriffs Office
The flight
- Departed from: YKM Yakima WA at 8:35 pm
- Destination: Mt. Adams WA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KYKM, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 10, 2017. 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 | Co-pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.