Hiller UH-12E N4027L

Summary

On 18 May 1983 at about 18:00 local time, a Hiller UH-12E registered N4027L was involved in an accident near Thermal, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

18 May 1983 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Thermal, California, United States

Coordinates

33.4805, -116.0998

Aircraft

Hiller UH-12E

Registration

N4027L

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX83LA236

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE WAS APRX 1/3 OF THE WAY THRU A PROCEDURE TURN AT ABOUT 60 FT AGL, WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. HE COMPLETED THE TURN, LEVELED THE HELICOPTER & MOUMENTARILY REGAINED COMPLETE POWER, THEN THE ENGINE QUIT OPERATING. AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING TO A ROAD WAS STARTED, BUT THE PLT SAW A TRUCK APPROACHING, SO HE MANEUVERED BACK TOWARD THE FIELD THAT HE HAD BEEN SPRAYING. DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER & IT CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. DURING AN INVESTIGATION, THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE PRIMED BEFORE THE ENG WOULD START. REPORTEDLY, A FUEL INTERUPTION TO THE PUMP COULD CAUSE IT TO LOSE ITS PRIME, & IF THIS OCCURRED DURING FLT, FUEL STARVATION WOULD OCCUR. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD MADE CYCLIC TURNS TO KEEP POSTITIVE G'S ON THE ROTOR SYSTEM RATHER THAN CYCLIC & PEDAL TURNS. APRX GAL OF FUEL WAS REMAINING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.