# Accident 19990630007949A: Hiller UH12E, Williams, CA, June 30, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 30, 1999, 07:00 local time
- Place: Williams, CA
- Airport: Williams Gliderport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: NHLL
- Location: 39.2701° N, 122.0505° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2701&lon=-122.0505&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7173F, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7173F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hiller UH-12E (registry code 4360122, https://openairdocs.org/model/hiller-uh-12e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HILLER UH12E
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 18,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA237](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA237) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990630007949A

## Narrative

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

1959 HILLER UH-12E HELICOPTER ENGINE FAILED DURING AERIAL APPLICATION, AND THE ACFT CRASHED AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.4)WHILE SPRAYING A RICE FIELD THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT.  THE PILOT FORCE LANDED IN THE FIELD SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM.  THE PILOT REPORTED THE TURBINE POWERED HELICOPTER HAD BEEN FUELED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, HOWEVER, HE DID NOT VISUALLY CONFIRM IT.  THE AIRCRAFT HAD ONLY FLOWN 0.5 HOURS DURING THIS FLIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED A BROKEN WIRE IN THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATING SYSTEM.  ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL FOR THIS HELICOPTER, THE OPEN CIRCUIT CAUSED BY THE WIRE BREAKAGE WILL CAUSE A FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION OF 34 GALLONS WHEN THE TANK IS EMPTY.             (-23)PILOT REPORTED HE OBSERVED 17 GAL READING ON FUEL GAUGE WHEN ENGINE ABRUPTLY QUIT WHILE PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION. FORCED LANDING FOLLOWED, WTIH NO INJURIES BUT SUBSTANTIAL AIRCRAFT DAMAGE.  SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION WITH COMPANY OWNER REVEALED FUEL QUANTITY SYSTEM MAY BE FAULTY.  POST ACCIDENT CHECK BY OWNER REVEALED ACTUAL FUEL LEVEL ALMOST DEPLETED WITH A 36 GAL READING ON THE GAUGE WHEN THE MASTER SWITCH WAS ENERGIZED.  PILOT REPORTED TH                        E AIRCRAFT WAS NOT FUELED THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED ONLY 0.5 HOURS BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT. (.19)SEE NTSB LAX99LA237

## 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 LAX99LA237](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA237), Jun 30, 1999: Hiller UH-12ET (N7173F), Williams, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and verification that fuel was available for the intended flight. A factor was the fuel quantity false indication.

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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