# Accident 19980213001239A: Hiller UH12E, Chino, CA, February 13, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 13, 1998, 11:30 local time
- Place: Chino, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: NHFG
- Location: 39.7407° N, 121.8292° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7407&lon=-121.8292&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4027Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4027Z-2018-02-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hiller UH-12E (registry code 4360122, https://openairdocs.org/model/hiller-uh-12e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming VO-540 series (registry code 41534, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HILLER UH12E
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 27,000 total, 900 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA089) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980213001239A

## Narrative

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

LOST POWER ON SPRAY RUN. LANDED HARD. ENGINE MADE 2 LOUD BANGS PRIOR STOPPING. (.4)DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT OVER AN ORCHARD AT 40 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.  UNABLE TO ENTER AN AUTOROTATION DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE, THE PILOT LANDED HARD IN AN OPEN FIELD, AND THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.  AN EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED IT WAS OUT OF FUEL.  ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, PRIOR TO THE MISHAP THE FUEL QUANTITY GAGE HAD INDICATED 12 GALLONS REMAINED IN THE TANK, AND EVIDENTLY THE FUEL FLOAT HAD BECOME STUCK IN THE TANK.  THE FAA COORDINATOR REPORTED THAT THE CONDITIONS WHICH MAY HAVE PRODUCED THE DISCREPANCY COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED DURING THE POSTIMPACT TESTING.  HOWEVER, DURING THE EXAMINATION WHEN THE FUEL QUANTITY SENDER ARM WAS MANIPULATED THE FLOAT COULD BE INDUCED TO HANG UP VERTICALLY.  THEN, WHEN LOWERED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK, THE FUEL QUANTITY WOULD READ 12 GALLONS.  ALL OTHER SYSTEM CIRCUITRY AND COMPONENT TESTS WERE NEGATIVE. NO SPECIFIC MECHANICAL DEFECT WAS ESTABLISHED.                                                                                                                              (-23)THE HELICOPTER WAS RETURNING TO IT'S TANKER TRUCK TO REFILL WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE HELICOPTER WAS AT TOO LOW OF AN ALTITUDE TO AUTOROTATE, SO IT LANDED QUITE HARD. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES TO THE PILOT.  THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.  NO FUEL WAS OBSERVED IN THE FUEL TANK AND THERE WAS NO LEAKAGE ON SITE.

## 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 LAX98LA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA089), Feb 13, 1998: Hiller UH-12E (N4027Z), Chico, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to ensure that an adequate fuel supply was onboard. A contributing factor was related to the fuel quantity gage's erroneous indication of fuel.

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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