# Accident 19981217033619A: Hiller UH12E, Wenatchee, WA, December 17, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 17, 1998, 16:00 local time
- Place: Wenatchee, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.4893° N, 120.1910° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.4893&lon=-120.1910&mi=10
- Aircraft: N893FW, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N893FW) (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
- Reported engine: LYC VO540*
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,800 total, 4,300 in this make and model, 95 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA022) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981217033619A

## Narrative

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

PUBLIC USE 1979 HILLER UH-12 HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED FOR AN AERIAL SURVEY OPERATION WHEN IT EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE AND CRASHED. (.19)ON DECEMBER 17, 1998, AT 1559 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME , A HILLER UH-12E, N893FW, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND AUTOROTATED TO THE SURFACE ONE MILE NORTHWEST OF WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON.  THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED, BUT THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PUBLIC-USE GAME SURVEY.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDTIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE PILOT DISABLED THE ELT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE IMPACT.  THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED WENATCHEE ABOUT 2.5 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.  THE PILOT HAD PLANNED ON FLYING TO ROOSTER, WASHINGTON, WHERE A TRUCK WAS LOCATED FOR REFUELING.  WEATHER AT THE REFUELING SITE PRECLUDED LANDING, SO THE PILOT HAD ELECTED TO RETURN TO WENATCHEE.  IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE LOSS OF POWER, THE PILOT NOTED A LOW FUEL-PRESSURE LIGHT.                                                                        (-23) ENGINE LOST POWER, AUTO-ROTATION INITIATED.  HARD LANDING RESULTED                                                                               IN MAIN ROTOR SEVERING TAIL BOOM. NO POST LANDING FIRE.  NO SERIOUS INJURIES.

## 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 SEA99LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA022), Dec 17, 1998: Hiller UH-12E (N893FW), Wenatchee, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to accomplish refueling.

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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