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19970319006419A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Hiller UH-12E · Donna, TX · March 19, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 19, 1997 · 17:30 local
Place
Donna, TX
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
RFEG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N136HA
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW97LA131
Reported as
Hiller UH12E
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,000 total
N136HARegistration cancelled Jan 10, 2018 · Hiller UH-12ES/N HA3036 · Built 1976Airframe modelHiller UH-12EEngine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Struck power line during a spray run. Crashed. Field colors andl light condition made wires hard to see. (.19) on March 19, 1997, at 1730 central standard time, a Hiller UH-12E helicopter, N136HA, was substantially damaged when it impacted wires while maneuvering near Donna, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, was seriously injured. The helicopter was being operated by the pilot under title 14 CFR part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The helicopter's time of departure is unknown. According to local law enforcement personnel, the helicopter impacted a set of north-south aligned power lines at the mid point between two poles during an aerial application flight. The helicopter came to rest on its side in an onion field approximately 400 feet east from the point of impact with the wires. Authorities further reported that wires were found wrapped around the helicopter's tail rotor assembly. (.4) the helicopter impacted a set of north-south aligned power lines at the mid point between two poles during an aerial application flight. The helicopter came to rest on its SID (-23) no narrative.

As the FAA filed it

STRUCK POWER LINE DURING A SPRAY RUN. CRASHED. FIELD COLORS ANDL LIGHT CONDITION MADE WIRES HARD TO SEE. (.19) ON MARCH 19, 1997, AT 1730 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A HILLER UH-12E HELICOPTER, N136HA, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED WIRES WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR DONNA, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER, WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 137. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT FOR WHICH A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE HELICOPTER'S TIME OF DEPARTURE IS UNKNOWN. ACCORDING TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED A SET OF NORTH-SOUTH ALIGNED POWER LINES AT THE MID POINT BETWEEN TWO POLES DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE IN AN ONION FIELD APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET EAST FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT WITH THE WIRES. AUTHORITIES FURTHER REPORTED THAT WIRES WERE FOUND WRAPPED AROUND THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY. (.4) THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED A SET OF NORTH-SOUTH ALIGNED POWER LINES AT THE MID POINT BETWEEN TWO POLES DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS SID (-23) NO NARRATIVE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97LA131Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDonna, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the power lines during an aerial application flight. A factor was the power lines.Mar 19, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N136HA · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19860715032639APwr Off Run Land (Autorotation · Pataskala, OHCrash occurred during auto rotation emergency landing after engine quit for unknown reasons.Jul 15, 1986 · Substantial damage