# Accident 20000420023539A: Hiller UH12E, Stonesboro, SC, April 20, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 20, 2000, 09:00 local time - Place: Stonesboro, SC - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft) - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Location: 33.9389° N, 81.1194° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9389&lon=-81.1194&mi=10 - Aircraft: N9762C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9762C) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Hiller UH-12E (registry code 4360122, https://openairdocs.org/model/hiller-uh-12e) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Allison 250 series (registry code 03014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HILLER UH12E - Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20B - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 17,500 total, 3,500 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL00LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00LA043) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000420023539A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-4) ON APRIL 20, 2000, AT 1015 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HILLER UH-12 HELICOPTER, COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE ATTEMPTING AN AUTOROTATION NEAR STONESBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT'S INTIAL DEPARTED THE STAGING AREA IN STONESBORO, SOUTHCAROLINA, AT APPROX. 0830. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD COMPLETED TWO SPRAY RUNS AND WAS ON THE THIRD OPERATION WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT EXPLAINED THAT , THE TRUCK USED TO SUPPORT THE SPRAYING OPERATION HAD BEEN DRIVEN INTO A DITCH AND HE WAS DISTRACTED BY THE TRUCK DRIVER'S PROBLEM, AND NEGLECTED TO REFUEL THE HELICOPTER. MOMENTS LATER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AFTER THE HELICOPTER "RAN OUT OF FUEL". THE PILOT SELECTED AN AREA FOR A FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT, HE ENTERED AN AUTOROTATIVE DESCENT FOR THE FORCED LANDING. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH TO THE TOUCHDOWN POINT, THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY COLLIDED WITH A TREE. (-4) CONT'D THE SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER DISCLOSED THAT THERE WAS ONLY A TRACE OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE HELICOPTER BEFORE THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR COMPONENT FAILURE WITH THE HELICOPTER WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION. (.19) ON APRIL 20, 2000, AT 1015 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HILLER UH-12 HELICOPTER, COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE ATTEMPTING AN AUTOROTATION NEAR STONESBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT'S EXACT DEPARTURE TIME FROM STONESBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA WAS NOT DETERMINED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE QUIT AFTER THE HELICOPTER RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE PILOT SELECTED AN AREA FOR EMERGENCY LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY COLLIDED WITH A TREE AS HE MANEUVERED THE FORCED LANDING. (-23)PIC STATED THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN A SPRAYING OPERATION. HE MADE THREE LOAD DROPS AND WAS RETURNING TO BASE FOR FOURTH RUN FOR SUBSTANCES AND FUEL. AS HE WAS RETURNING TO BASE THE ENGINE QUIT. AS HE AUTOROTATED INTO AN OPEN FIELD THE TAIL ROTOR CLIPPED A SMALL TREE. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND STRAIGHT DOWN AND THEN ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE. PIC REPORTED AFTER CRASH ONLY A TRACE OF FUEL WAS EVIDENT IN TANKS. POST CRASH BY FAA SAFETY INSPECTOR DISCLOSED ONLY A TRACE OF FUEL IN TANKS. ## 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 ATL00LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00LA043), Apr 20, 2000: Hiller UH-12ET (N9762C), Stonesboro, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper inflight decision not to refuel which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power. ## Other reports on N9762C (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19891129047839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891129047839A), Nov 29, 1989: Hiller UH12E (N9762C), Raymond, WA, Substantial damage. Engine failed during sling load. Jettisoned load. Autorotated. Rolled over. Impeller blades separated from fatigue. - [Accident 19780722043039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780722043039A), Jul 22, 1978: Hiller UH12E (N9762C), Livengood, AK, Substantial damage. Loss of cyclic control for undetermined reason. Collided with tree ring uncontrolled r/h turns. 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.