By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday a June 2022 crash of a West Virginia former military helicopter that killed six was caused in part by lack of sufficient government oversight.
The board cited Federal Aviation Administration failures in the crash of a Bell Helicopter UH-1B in Amherstdale, West Virginia, as well as inadequate operator inspections of the vintage helicopter known as a "Huey." The pilot and all five passengers were killed.
The NTSB said the FAA provided "basically no oversight" of the helicopter operator MARPAT Aviation and added the FAA did not require adherence to more robust inspection standards adopted in 2015. As a result of the investigation, the NTSB made six new safety recommendations.
MARPAT did not immediately comment. The FAA said it "takes NTSB recommendations very seriously" and will respond "within an appropriate time frame."
The helicopter was manufactured for the U.S military in 1962 and flew in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971, the NTSB said.
The NTSB said about 15 minutes after the flight departed the pilot attempted a forced landing after a loss of engine power but the helicopter hit two powerlines and a rock face 3.5 miles east of the Logan County airport, crashing on an asphalt road.
MARPAT Aviation sponsored the annual “Huey Reunion” event, where members of the public could fly the helicopter with a “safety pilot” for a $250 payment. Members of the public could also ride for a smaller fee.
The FAA issued a special airworthiness certificate for the helicopter in the “experimental exhibition” category in 2014. The NTSB added the FAA should not have allowed the helicopter to be inspected and maintained, according to those requirements that "were insufficient to ensure the airworthiness of the aircraft and operation."
Investigators determined the loss of power was due to the failure of an engine component. The NTSB said MARPAT would likely have discovered fatigue cracks and other engine damage that led to the power loss had it done more comprehensive inspections.