Hiller UH-12B N93467
4 June 2012 · Pasco, Washington, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 4 June 2012 at about 13:45 local time, a Hiller UH-12B registered N93467, operated by Larsen Helicopter Operations, was involved in an accident near Pasco, Washington, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 13:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Pasco, Washington, United States
- Coordinates
- 46.3861, -119.2414
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12B
- Registration
- N93467
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Larsen Helicopter Operations
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Pasco → Pasco
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR12LA244
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain the helicopter's rotor rpm while maneuvering at a low altitude over a fruit orchard.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot of the helicopter was maneuvering at a low altitude over a fruit orchard to dry the trees. After completing one section of the orchard, he climbed higher in order to check for obstacles near the adjacent orchard that he planned to dry next. While descending into position to work the adjacent orchard, the pilot noticed that the main rotor rpm was beginning to decay. Although he added some power, the rpm decay continued. He therefore made the decision to lower the collective, but realized he was too low to do so. Because he still had some forward airspeed and was able to maintain a controlled descent, the pilot maneuvered to land in an opening between the trees; however, the helicopter impacted trees just before it touched down. A postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Hiller UH-12B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Sep 2012 | Hiller UH-12B | Rio Vista, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Feb 2013 | Hiller UH-12B | Merritt Island, Florida, United States | Florida Biplane | Minor injuries | - |
| 25 Jan 2007 | Hiller UH-12B | Panama City, Panama | Jet Lease Corporation | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 Mar 2005 | Hiller UH-12B | Thermal, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Feb 2004 | Hiller UH-12B | Bradenton, Florida, United States | Danny Bals | No injuries | - |
| 24 Feb 2001 | Hiller UH-12B | Whitesburg, Georgia, United States | Michael T. Holder | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jun 2012 | Cessna 180 | Wenatchee, Washington, United States | Janet L Liberty | No injuries | - |
| 22 May 2012 | Eurocopter AS 350 B2 | Seattle, Washington, United States | King Broadcasting Co | No injuries | - |
| 8 Mar 2012 | Robinson R22 BETA | Randle, Washington, United States | Glacier Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 12 May 2012 | Staudacher Hydroplanes S300X | Ephrata, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Jun 2012 | Cessna 182A | Colfax, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 12 Jun 2012 | Robinson R44 II | East Wenatchee, Washington, United States | Dragonfly Aviation, LLC | Fatal | 1 |