Richards Heavylift Helo Inc UH-1H N567VF accident near Norris City, Illinois

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper positioning of the helicopter on the landing pad, and his failure to monitor and control the helicopter as fuel and chemical product were loaded, which led to the helicopter tipping and sliding off the landing pad, and subsequently impacting the ground.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that after landing on a trailer landing pad for the purpose of hot refueling and loading chemical product onboard, on completing those actions, the helicopter slid backwards off the trailer impacting the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations. The operator reported that the helicopter’s center of gravity required that both skid cross tubes be positioned over the landing pad, which required the front cross tube to be placed precisely near the front of the landing pad. The ground crew and pilot were unsure of the helicopter’s position when it landed but recognized that it was possibly too far aft. Following the accident, the operator installed extensions to the landing pad to provide a larger landing area for the helicopter.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN21LA212 for the full record.