NTSB Cites Lax Maintenance in Fatal UH-1B Crash

All six occupants died when the UH-1B 'Huey' hit power lines during an attempted forced landing following a loss of engine power.

Mark Phelps

Wednesday, August 28, 2024 at 04:57 PM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

[Credit: NTSB]

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB determined that the fatal 2022 West Virginia crash of a Bell UH-1B helicopter, which killed all six occupants, was caused by inadequate inspection procedures by the operator and a lack of FAA oversight.
The operator, Marpat Aviation, failed to detect fatigue cracks in an engine component that led to a loss of power, a discovery the NTSB believes would have been made with more comprehensive inspections.
The NTSB criticized the FAA for providing "basically no oversight" of Marpat's maintenance and for lacking guidance for inspectors regarding aircraft operating under experimental airworthiness certificates.

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) final report was issued Wednesday on the fatal West Virginia crash of a Vietnam War-era Bell UH-1B helicopter on June 22, 2022.

According to the NTSB report, the accident was caused, in part, by inadequate inspection procedures by the operator, Marpat Aviation, and a lack of FAA oversight. All six occupants died when the UH-1B “Huey” hit power lines during an attempted forced landing following a loss of engine power.