NTSB Report on 2022 Helicopter Crash

By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported on Tuesday that a June 2022 crash of a vintage military helicopter in West Virginia, which resulted in six fatalities, was partly due to insufficient government oversight.

The crash involved a Bell Helicopter UH-1B, known as a “Huey,” and occurred in Amherstdale, West Virginia, where the pilot and all five passengers were killed.

The board cited failures by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), noting a lack of oversight concerning the helicopter operator, MARPAT Aviation. The FAA also didn’t enforce adherence to enhanced inspection standards established in 2015. Following the investigation, the NTSB issued six new safety recommendations.

MARPAT did not immediately respond to inquiries. However, the FAA stated it “takes NTSB recommendations very seriously” and will provide a response “within an appropriate time frame.”

Manufactured for the U.S military in 1962, this helicopter served in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971, according to the NTSB.

Approximately 15 minutes post-departure, the pilot attempted a forced landing after losing engine power. Unfortunately, the helicopter struck two power lines and a rock face, crashing onto an asphalt road about 3.5 miles east of Logan County airport.

MARPAT Aviation conducted the annual “Huey Reunion” event, offering flights for members of the public at a fee of $250 for a ride with a “safety pilot”; a smaller fee enabled public rides.

In 2014, the FAA issued a special airworthiness certificate for the helicopter under the “experimental exhibition” category. The NTSB criticized the FAA for allowing the helicopter to be inspected under standards deemed insufficient to guarantee the aircraft’s airworthiness and operational safety.

Investigators found the loss of engine power was attributed to the failure of an engine component. The NTSB indicated that more thorough inspections by MARPAT would likely have uncovered fatigue cracks and other engine damage, which led to the power loss.