# Accident 20010903024659A: Hiller UH12D, Lubbock, TX, September 3, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 3, 2001, 16:10 local time
- Place: Lubbock, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: S8PG
- Location: 33.6407° N, 101.7792° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6407&lon=-101.7792&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2770, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2770) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hiller UH-12D (registry code 4360118, https://openairdocs.org/model/hiller-uh-12d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming VO-435 series (registry code 41525, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-vo-435-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HILLER UH12D
- Reported engine: LYC VO435A1C
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 15,399 total, 411 in this make and model, 235 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW01LA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA202) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010903024659A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WHILE SPRAYING AT 4 FEET AGL, A VIBRATION STARTED THEN THERE WAS A POP WITH THE LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR THRUST, AS STATED BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT PUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. UPON LANDING, THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. (.4) ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2001, AT 1610 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A HILLER UH-12D AGRICULTURAL HELICOPTER, N2770, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL NEAR LUBBOCK, TEXAS. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO THE PILOT AND OPERATED BY AERO MANAGEMENT, INC., OF OLTON, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE TOWN AND COUNTRY AIRPARK AIRPORT, LUBBOCK, TEXAS, AT 1515. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT WHILE SPRAYING A COTTON FIELD, AT 4 FEET AGL, HE FELT A VIBRATION FOLLOWED BY A "POP" WITH A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL. SUBSEQUENTLY, DURING THE FORCED LANDING TO THE COTTON FIELD, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAILBOOM SEPARATING IT FROM THE FUSELAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER BY THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO    RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, REVEALED THAT A TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT HANGER BEARING HAD FAILED, AND THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT HAD SEPARATED.

## 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 FTW01LA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA202), Sep 3, 2001: Hiller UH-12D (N2770), Lubbock, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the failure of the tail rotor drive shaft hanger bearing, which resulted in the separation of the tail rotor drive shaft. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

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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