The National Transportation Safety Board found that a West Virginia former military helicopter crash that killed six was caused in part by the operator’s inadequate inspections and a lack of FAA oversight.
The June 22, 2022, crash of a Bell Helicopter UH-1B in Amherstdale, West Virginia, occurred after the rotorcraft hit powerlines during an attempted forced landing after a loss of engine power. Investigators determined the loss of power was due to the failure of an engine component.
MARPAT Aviation sponsored the annual “Huey Reunion” event at Logan County Airport, where it offered members of the public the opportunity to fly the former military helicopter with a “safety pilot” for a required payment. Members of the public could also ride aboard the helicopter for a smaller payment. The accident flight was the last scheduled flight of the day on the second day of the event. All six helicopter occupants died in the crash.
The NTSB said the helicopter’s operator, MARPAT Aviation, would likely have discovered the fatigue cracks and other engine damage that led to the failure of the engine component had it done more comprehensive inspections of the UH-1B helicopter, also known as a “Huey.”
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