# Accident 19991028033669A: Hiller UH12E, Castroville, CA, October 28, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 28, 1999, 09:30 local time
- Place: Castroville, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: CBFG
- Location: 36.7604° N, 121.7507° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7604&lon=-121.7507&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5374V, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5374V) (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
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA027) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991028033669A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON OCTOBER 28, 1999, ABOUT 0915 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A HILLER UH12E, N5374V, OPERATED BY R AND B HELICOPTER, INC., COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE IN CASTROVILLE, CALIFORNIA. THEREAFTER, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.  THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WHICH WAS PERFORMED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 137.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 0910 FROM AN ADJACENT FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT HE HAD BEEN SPRAYING IN THE GENERAL AREA, AND HAD JUST ALTERED HIS COURSE TO MOVE AWAY FROM TELEPHONE REPAIR PERSONNEL WHO WERE WORKING ON A POLE LOCATED NEAR THE NORTH SIDE OF THE FIELD HE INTENDED TO SPRAY.  ALSO, WHILE FLYING BETWEEN 25 AND 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, HE HAD DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION TOWARD THE GLOBAL POSITIONING SATELLITE RECEIVER IN WHICH HE WAS TO MARK HIS NEW SPRAY POSITION.  WHILE PROCEEDING IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION HE LOOKED UP AND OBSERVED A POWER LINE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIS HELICOPTER.  THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME TO TURN.  THE PILOT STATED THAT HE COLLIDED WITH THE POWER LINE AND LOST CONTROL OF THE HEL ICOPTER. (-23)DURING APPROACH TO BEGINE THE AERIAL APPLICATION OF INSECTICIDE ON AN ARTICHOKE FIELD, THE HELICOPTER STRUCK POWERLINES WHICH CAUSED AN UNCOMMANDED COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. THE SKIDS, TAIL BOOM AND ROTORMAST SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT COMPLAINED ABOUT BACK PAINS AND WAS TAKEN TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT.

## 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 LAX00LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA027), Oct 28, 1999: Hiller UH-12E (N5374V), Castroville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate visual lookout and diverted attention.

## Other reports on N5374V (3)

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

- [Accident 19860427016079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860427016079A), Apr 27, 1986: Hiller UH12E (N5374V), Castroville, CA, Destroyed. Tail rotor blade separated at tension tortion strap attach bolt. Made power on landing but hit hard and rolled over.
- [Accident 19780712023399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780712023399A), Jul 12, 1978: Hiller UH12C (N5374V), CA, Substantial damage. No narrative.
- [Accident 19731019033089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19731019033089A), Oct 19, 1973: Hiller UH12C (N5374V), El Centro, CA, Destroyed. T/r struck grnd. Substl dmg. Drg invest plt inadvertently lit match. Acft consumed by fire. Spry beets

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.