Hiller UH-12E N65120

Summary

On 17 August 1988 at about 03:05 local time, a Hiller UH-12E registered N65120, operated by West Farm Air, Inc, was involved in an accident near Thermal, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

17 August 1988 at 03:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Thermal, California, United States

Coordinates

33.4800, -116.1003

Aircraft

Hiller UH-12E

Registration

N65120

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

West Farm Air, Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX88DUG06

1 person had minor injuries.

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

SHORTLY AFTER REFUELING THE HELICOPTER & RELOADING THE HOPPER, THE PLT TOOK OFF & WAS STARTING TO SPRAY A FIELD WHEN THE ENG SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE PLT SAID THE HELICOPTER WAS DSCNDG FROM ABOUT 30 FT WHEN THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED; THUS, HE BARELY HAD TIME TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN IN AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE, BUT IT SKIDDED INTO A 1 FT BERM, ROLLED OVER & CAME TO REST IN A MUDDY/FLOODED FIELD. MUD & WATER WERE FOUND IN THE ACFT FUEL SYSTEM. THE EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL CONTAMINATION WAS NOT THE RESULT OF IMPACT & INVERSION. A CHECK OF THE MOBILE REFUELING UNIT REVEALED IT CONTAINED CRACKS WHICH ALLOWED MOISTURE & OTHER CONTAMINANTS TO ENTER. ALSO, THE MOBILE UNIT'S FUEL FILTER WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED & WAS NOT REMOVING CONTAMINANTS FROM THE FUEL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.