# Accident 20000126000629A: Hiller UH12E, Five Points, CA, January 26, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: January 26, 2000, 13:30 local time - Place: Five Points, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Low Level Operations - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Operator: JAGG - Location: 36.1997° N, 120.0907° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1997&lon=-120.0907&mi=10 - Aircraft: N68024, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N68024-2018-02-16) (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 VO540C2A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 15,000 total, 9,000 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA077) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000126000629A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE PLATFORM OF AN AG TRUCK, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY HIS HELICOPTER UNDER SOME TELEPHONE WIRES. THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK AND SEVERED ONE OF THE TELEPHONE WIRES CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASH IN AN AGRICULTURE FIELD. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR, TAIL ROTOR, LANDING GEAR (SKIDS), HOPPER TANK AND SPRAY RIG. A SIGHT SPILLAGE OF CHEMICAL OCCURRED AT THE SITE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. WEATHER AND WIND WAS NOT A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT. (.19) ON JANUARY 26, 2000, ABOUT 1330 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A HILLER UH-12E, N68024, OPERATED BY HURON AG HELICOPTERS, HURON, CALIFORNIA, COLLIDED WITH A WIRE WHILE MANEUVERING DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH OF FIVE POINTS, CALIFORNIA. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING PERFORMED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 137. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A VEHICLE PARKED NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE FIELD ABOUT 1329. ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ( FAA) COORDINATOR, DURING AN INTERVIEW, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT WHILE PREPARING TO SPRAY CHEMICALS OVER THE FIELD HE INTENTIONALLY MANEUVERED BENEATH TELEPHONE WIRES AND THE TAIL ROTOR INADVERTENTLY CONTACTED THE WIRE. THEREAFTER, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING ON THE FIELD. THE FAA FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE WIRES' ELEVATION ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WAS PRELIMINARILY ESTIMATED BETWEEN 25 AND 30 FEET. EVIDENCE WAS OBSERVED OF ONE WIRE HAVING BEEN IMPACT DAMAGED. BOTH OF THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE OBSERVED SEVERED. (.4)ON JANUARY 26, 2000, ABOUT 1330 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A HILLER UH-12E, N68024, OPERATED BY HURON AG HELICOPTERS, HURON, CALIFORNIA, COLLIDED WITH A WIRE WHILE MANEUVERING DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH OF FIVE POINTS, CALIFORNIA. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING PERFORMED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 137. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM HURON ABOUT 1300. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE TOOK OFF FROM A LOADING TRUCK FOR THE SECOND TIME WITH THE INTENTION OF SPRAYING A NEARBY FIELD. HE FLEW OVER A ROAD AND MANEUVERED BENEATH A TELEPHONE LINE. THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED THE LINE AND HE LOST CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER SPUN AROUND AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR ESTIMATED THAT THE IMPACTED WIRE HAD BEEN SUSPENDED 25 TO 30 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. BOTH OF THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE SEVERED, AND OTHER STRUCTURAL DAMAGED RESULTED WHEN THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND. ## 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 LAX00LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA077), Jan 26, 2000: Hiller UH-12E (N68024), Five Points, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate clearance while maneuvering beneath a telephone line. ## Other reports on N68024 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19860121009279I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860121009279I), Jan 21, 1986: Hiller UH12E (N68024), Tiller, OR. Engine failed after takeoff. Damage to tail rotor during autorotation. Cause of mechanical failure not reported. - [Accident 19830407011759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830407011759A), Apr 7, 1983: Hiller UH12E (N68024), Kettleman City, CA, Substantial damage. Ran out of fuel on a spray operation. Made hard autorotate landing due to low altitude. Helicopter rolled over. 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.