# Accident 19970830024829A: Hiller UH12B, Slatington, PA, August 30, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 30, 1997, 10:20 local time
- Place: Slatington, PA
- Airport: Slatington Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.7495° N, 75.6097° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7495&lon=-75.6097&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5303V (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: HILLER UH12B
- Reported engine: FRNKLN 6V4178B3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC97LA174](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA174) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970830024829A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

HAD TROUBLE LIFTING OFF BUT FINALLY LIFTED TO HOVER. MOVED BACKWARDS. TAIL BOOM HIT GROUND. HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. (FROM .4) THE HELICOPTER WAS FOR SALE, BUT WAS NOT AIRWORTHY, AND HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR 6 MONTHS. THE OWNER HAD SHOWN THE HELICOPTER TO THE PILOT A WEEK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.  THE OWNER AND THE PILOT PERFORMED A GROUND RUN, BUT THE OWNER WOULD NOT ALLOW THE HELICOPTER TO BE FLOWN.  A WEEK LATER THE PILOT FLEW THE HELICOPTER WITHOUT THE OWNER'S PERMISSION, AND WITHOUT THE OWNER PRESENT.  WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER DID NOT APPEAR TO BE STABLE AT ANY TIME IN THE REPEATED ATTEMPTS AT TAKEOFF.  ON THE THIRD ATTEMPTED LIFT OFF, THE HELICOPTER BECAME AIRBORNE, MOVED FORWARD, AND CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.  IT THEN MOVED AFT AND THE TAILBOOM IMPACTED THE GROUND.  THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED RIGHT, AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND.  DURING A PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS, REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THE PILOT PROVIDE A STATEMENT, OR COMPLETE AND RETURN THE REQUIRED NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT FORM 6120.1/2, WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC97LA174](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA174), Aug 30, 1997: Hiller UH-12B (N5303V), Slatington, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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