Hillberg EH-101 N10TE

Summary

On 21 May 1994 at about 23:30 local time, a Hillberg EH-101 registered N10TE, operated by Donald Hillberg, was involved in an accident near Corona, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 May 1994 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Corona, California, United States

Nearest airport

Corona (L66)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Hillberg EH-101

Registration

N10TE

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Donald Hillberg

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX94LA222

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's loss of control of the helicopter while hovering downwind. A lack of test-flight data to establish the aircraft's performance limitations was a factor in the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT/AIRCRAFT DESIGNER WAS HOVERING AN EXPERIMENTAL HELICOPTER ABOUT 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHILE IT WAS BEING PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANOTHER HELICOPTER. THE PILOT TURNED THE TAIL OF HIS AIRCRAFT INTO THE WIND AND IT BEGAN TO SETTLE IN ITS OWN ROTORWASH. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE DESCENT AND THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN IN SOFT TERRAIN AND THEN ROLLED OVER. THE HELICOPTER HAD ACCUMULATED 5.6 HOURS OF TEST-FLIGHT TIME AND THE PERFORMANCE LIMITATIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.