West Virginia fatal helicopter crash attributed to insufficient inspections and oversight

In a final report released on Tuesday, the crash of a Vietnam-era tourist helicopter in West Virginia that resulted in the deaths of six individuals two years ago was attributed partially to inadequate inspections by the operator and a lack of oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the Bell UH-1B “Huey” helicopter lost engine power and hit power lines during an attempted forced landing in Amherstdale in June 2022. The helicopter, which had departed from Logan County Airport 15 minutes prior, crashed into a rock face and caught fire near a road.

According to investigators, a component failure caused the engine power loss. The NTSB stated that more thorough inspections by operator MARPAT Aviation, a flight school in Logan County, could have identified fatigue cracks and other engine damage leading to the component’s failure. When contacted by phone, MARPAT Aviation declined to comment.

The NTSB criticized the FAA for providing minimal oversight of MARPAT Aviation, which was operating the helicopter under a special airworthiness certificate in an experimental exhibition category. The FAA’s Charleston district office had issued this certificate in December 2014. The NTSB noted a lack of guidance for inspectors regarding routine surveillance of operators with experimental airworthiness certificates. The report highlighted that when the helicopter had a restricted-category certificate, the operator adhered to stricter inspection requirements.

Furthermore, the Charleston district office was unaware of MARPAT Aviation’s operation of the helicopter at the 2022 event, and no flight plan was required or submitted for the local flight. Among the six recommendations made by the NTSB to the FAA is a review of airworthiness certificates for former military turbine-powered helicopters and a mandate for operators of experimental exhibition aircraft to disclose their events.

In response, the FAA stated that it takes NTSB recommendations seriously and will provide a response within an appropriate timeframe. The fatal flight occurred during a multiday reunion for helicopter enthusiasts, where visitors could participate in rides or flights on the historic Huey helicopter, considered one of the last of its kind still in operation.

The Huey helicopter, flown by the 114th Assault Helicopter Company in Vietnam during the 1960s, was featured in movies like “Die Hard,” “The Rock,” and “Under Siege 2: Dark Territory” after its return to the U.S. in 1971. During the reunion event, donors could fly the helicopter with a safety pilot onboard and others could take a ride for a suggested donation.

The NTSB revealed that the operator did not possess a flight exemption that would have allowed the helicopter to be used for compensation. The crash claimed the lives of a private pilot, two pilot-rated passengers, and three others. The 53-year-old pilot had flown the helicopter at the reunion event from 2020 to 2022. The report stated that there were no witnesses to the accident, and multiple wrongful death lawsuits were subsequently filed on behalf of the helicopter’s passengers.