Bell UH-1H — registry & accident history
Compiled from FAA & NTSB records · as of Jul 29, 2026
There are 808 Bell UH-1H airframes on record (built 1941–2012), 294 currently registered. 18 have one or more NTSB accident records (19 records total, 6 with a fatal highest-injury classification). Data as of Jul 29, 2026.
Recent Bell UH-1H accidents
An on-ground fuel fire for reasons that could not be determined due to extensive thermal damage.
The separation of the tail boom from the fuselage for reasons that could not be determined.
The total loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of the starter-generator input (zerol) gear which failed due to poor maintenance. Contributing to the accident was the unsuccessful autorotation complicated by the setting sun and high density altitude.
The pilot’s loss of situational awareness for reasons that could not be determined given the available evidence, which led to controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to operate the helicopter while ill and fatigued.
The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control after an encounter with settling with power during approach at an altitude that was too low for recovery, which resulted in a hard landing.
The pilot’s inability to maintain control of the helicopter due to a hydraulic system failure for reasons that could not be fully determined due to the thermal destruction from the postimpact fire.
A flight control malfunction due to either a hydraulic hardover or a flight control stiffness event, which resulted in a loss of control.
An in-flight separation of the tail rotor gearbox from the airframe due to fatigue failure of the gearbox attachment studs, resulting in a loss of directional control and subsequent ground impact. Contributing to the accident were 1) the improper application of paint on the clamping surfaces between the tail rotor gearbox and the vertical stabilizer that led to the initiation of fatigue fractures on the gearbox attachment studs and 2) the lack of a requirement to check the torque of the gearbox attachment hardware after installation of a gearbox onto the airframe.