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A UH-1N, tail number 69-6666, after crashing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming.
A U.S. Air Force pilot’s overcontrol during landing caused the crash of a Bell UH-1N helicopter during a training mission on Aug. 30, 2023, at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, the results of a newly released investigation say.
The aircraft, used by the Air Force to patrol nuclear missile fields, was destroyed at a loss of $5 million. Three crewmembers were injured in the crash.
An Accident Investigation Board report released Nov. 22 says the crew was wrapping up a training mission that included “various uneventful maneuvers” before entering a 180-deg. autorotation. During the maneuver, the crew overcontrolled the aircraft, causing an excessive right bank, excessive nose low attitude and uncoordinated flight, all contributing to a high rate of descent.
Despite exceeding the helicopter’s maneuver parameters, the crew did not identify a need for a power recovery, the report says. The crew tried to salvage the autorotation, doing so incorrectly and too late to avoid slamming into the ground.
The helicopter hit the ground to the left of the runway, with the tail boom first impacting the ground. The helicopter bounced between its tail boom and main landing skids until they broke off.
After the tail boom was separated from the helicopter, it rotated 540 deg. and ended up upside down. The crew was able to exit the aircraft.
The investigation says the crash’s main cause was the instructor pilot’s inability to recognize the need to perform a power recovery quickly. Other contributing factors included the pilot’s flight control manipulation when entering the autorotation, causing the high sink rate, and the crew failing to correctly execute a power recovery once directed.
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