Hiller UH-12C N301CH

Summary

On 15 April 2000 at about 14:30 local time, a Hiller UH-12C registered N301CH, operated by Kenneth L. Grimes, was involved in an accident near Lakeland, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 April 2000 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakeland, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.9702, -81.9399

Aircraft

Hiller UH-12C

Registration

N301CH

Category

Helicopter

Operator

Kenneth L. Grimes

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Plant City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Not Reported

NTSB number

MIA00LA134

1 person had minor injuries.

The disconnection of the tail rotor drive shaft and subsequent lack of tail rotor control. Contributing factors were the worn drive shaft splines and the pilots' failure to apply collective on the touchdown resulting in a hard landing and subsequent roll over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was hovering to parking when the helicopter experienced a failure of the tail rotor drive shaft. The pilot attempted a hovering autorotation, hovering he did not apply collective pitch. The helicopter collided with the ground in a right skid low condition and rolled over on its right side. Examination of the tailrotor drive shaft revealed excessive wear on the splines to the upper U-joint and on the splines of the transmission output shaft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.