Hiller UH-12E N9754C

Summary

On 25 June 2010 at about 00:30 local time, a Hiller UH-12E registered N9754C, operated by Lands END Transport Inc, was involved in an accident near Grand Junction, Colorado, 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

25 June 2010 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Junction, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Lands End Heliport (2CO9)

Coordinates

39.0803, -108.4906

Aircraft

Hiller UH-12E

Registration

N9754C

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Lands END Transport Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grand Junction → Grand Junction

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN10CA362

1 person had minor injuries.

The total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter had recently undergone an annual inspection and about a month thereafter the pilot planned to take it for a test flight. After completing an engine run-up, he noted that the helicopter appeared to be operating well. The pilot elected to perform a hover-taxi to a nearby helipad, which consisted of a flight path that would overfly a storage container. As he flew past the container, the helicopter’s engine experienced a total loss of power and he landed in a bark pile. During a postaccident visual examination by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors, they could not determine any problems with the helicopter’s engine. The pilot reported that following the helicopter being recovered he found a plug covering the fuel tank's vent line. The pilot opined that the plug resulted in the loss of power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.