Turbine helicopter

N97NW

1965 Bell UH-1H

Registered No accidents on file
Built
1965
Serial
65-09823
Class
Turbine helicopter
Engines
Lycoming T-53 series
Status
Current as of October 2026
Registered owner
Northwest Helicopters LLC (LLC)
Based
Olympia, WA
1965 Bell UH-1H
Representative photo of a Bell UH-1H. Not a photo of N97NW.
Registration record

N97NW on the FAA register

Type
1965 Bell UH-1H
Serial
65-09823
Engines
Lycoming T-53 series
Registered owner
Northwest Helicopters LLC
Olympia, WA
Certificate issued
2013-01-16
Airworthiness date
1994-08-18
Registration expires
2029-01-31
Airworthiness class
Restricted
Mode S (hex)
AD828D
Mode S (octal)
53301215
Seats (type)
15
Weight class
up to 12,499 lb
Range (type)
274 nm
Cruise (type)
109 kt
Status
Current as of October 2026
Registry history

Timeline

  • 2029-01-31
    Registration expires (renewal due).
  • 2013-01-16
    Certificate of registration issued as N97NW.
  • 1994-08-18
    Airworthiness date on the current FAA record (restricted category).
  • 1965
    Manufactured (1965).
Overview

About N97NW

N97NW is a 1965 Bell UH-1H, serial number 65-09823. The FAA register lists Northwest Helicopters LLC as the registrant in Olympia, Washington. The current certificate of registration was issued on January 16, 2013 and expires on January 31, 2029.

The FAA aircraft reference file describes the type as a turbine helicopter, one Lycoming T-53 series engine and 15 seats. Published figures for the type give a cruise speed of about 109 knots and a range of about 274 nm; actual performance depends on configuration, load and conditions. Its airworthiness certificate is restricted category, dated August 18, 1994.

No NTSB accident or incident reports and no FAA preliminary notices are on file for this airframe as N97NW. 1 earlier record involves a different aircraft that carried the same N-number.

Cruise
109 kt
Range
274 nm
Fuel burn
10 gph

Published figures for the Bell UH-1H type. They describe the model, not this airframe's equipment or condition.

Safety record

Accident & incident history

1996-08-12 Accident · Coeur D'Alene, ID Damage: Substantial Serious injury NTSB · SEA96FA187
Reported aircraft: Garlick UH-1H — a different aircraft that carried the N97NW registration before this airframe.
Probable cause: Fatigue fracture of the left forward vertical stabilizer spar, resulting in loss of the vertical stabilizer and tail rotor and subsequent loss of control. A factor was insufficient applicability (by make and model) of an existing FAA airworthiness directive (AD 71-21-02) which mandated repetitive crack inspections in the area of the fracture.

Sources: NTSB aviation accident database and CAROL case system, FAA preliminary accident & incident notices. Search accident records

Same model

More Bell UH-1H aircraft

All 289 Bell UH-1H registrations →
Same state

Other aircraft registered in Washington

All 10,568 aircraft registered in Washington →
Similar aircraft

Other turbine helicopters on the register

More from Bell

Bell models on the register

Own N97NW?

Get a free valuation, digitize the logbooks, or list it on fyiAero.

Free valuation Logbook transcription

Browse: Bell aircraft for sale· Aircraft registered in Washington· Registry by state· FAA registry stats

Data: FAA Aircraft Registry (October 2026), including deregistered aircraft; NTSB and FAA accident data; fyiAero listing history. Individual owners' names are shown to signed-in users and street addresses are never shown. Type figures are published specifications, not this aircraft's.