Hiller UH-12C N1348Z

Summary

On 3 July 1995 at about 18:45 local time, a Hiller UH-12C registered N1348Z, operated by Whirlybirds Inc, was involved in an accident near Rio Vista, California, United States. 2 people were 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

3 July 1995 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Rio Vista, California, United States

Nearest airport

Rio Vista Municipal (O88)

Coordinates

38.1799, -121.7304

Aircraft

Hiller UH-12C

Registration

N1348Z

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Whirlybirds Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA238

Nobody was injured.

The result of a chafing failure of the left anti-torque control cable while the aircraft was in flight. An inadequate preflight inspection by the pilot-in-command, and an inadequate 100-hour inspection by company maintenance personnel were factors in this accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE INSTRUCTOR WAS PERFORMING A LOW RPM RECOVERY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED YAW TO THE RIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT BY APPLYING FULL LEFT ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL, BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT ON THE YAW. HE LOWERED COLLECTIVE AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD, REBOUNDED, AND CONTINUED TO YAW RIGHT. HE APPLIED LEFT CYCLIC AND ROLLED OFF THE THROTTLE AND TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT ANTI-TORQUE CONTROL CABLE HAD SEPARATED. A LABORATORY EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT FAILURE WAS DUE TO SEVERE WEAR. THE CABLE HAD CHAFED NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE STARTER. THE CABLE WAS IN AN AREA THAT COULD BE INSPECTED DURING A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.