# Accident 19971005047449A: Hiller UH12C, Bennington, VT, October 5, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 5, 1997, 10:00 local time
- Place: Bennington, VT
- Airport: Bennington State
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.8711° N, 73.1802° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bennington, VT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8711&lon=-73.1802&mi=10
- Aircraft: N49983, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N49983) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hiller UH-12C (registry code 4360116, https://openairdocs.org/model/hiller-uh-12c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HILLER UH12C
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA006) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971005047449A

## Narrative

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

(-16) INSTRUCTOR WAS DEMONSTRATING HOVERING TO STUDENT NEAR RUNWAY AT THE AIRPORT (5B5). STUDENT PILOT AT THE CONTROLS BEGAN DRIFTING AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR ADDED LEFT CYCLIC INPUT TO CORRECT THE RIGHT DRIFT WHEN TOP HALF OF PILOT'S CYCLIC STICK CAME APART IN HIS HAND. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS SITTING IN THE PILOT'S SEAT AT THE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY ROLLED ONTO IT'S RIGHT SIDE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, TAIL ROTOR, TAIL ROTOR DRIVESHAFT AND GEAR BOX SEPARATED. THE PILOT'S CYCLIC STICK WAS FOUND TO BE HIGHLY MODIFIED WITH A MILITARY STYLE CYCLIC GRIP AND A MAKESHIFT JOINT IN THE MIDDLE WHICH FAILED.

## 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 NYC98LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA006), Oct 5, 1997: Hiller UH-12C (N49983), Bennington, VT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the cyclic control due to an improper modification by the pilot/owner.

## Other reports on N49983 (2)

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

- [Incident 19910218013589I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910218013589I), Feb 18, 1991: Hiller UH12C (N49983), Pittsfield, MA, Minor damage. Throttle frozen engine entered into overspeed condition. Autoratated into field. Made a hard landing.
- [Accident 19860518018569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860518018569A), May 18, 1986: Hiller UH12C (N49983), Palmer, AK, Substantial damage. Allowed rotor RPM to decay while hovering at low altitude looking for a landing area. Rotors struck shoreline rocks.

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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