# Accident 20071123827409A: Hiller UH12E, Somerton, AZ, November 23, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 23, 2007, 19:30 local time
- Place: Somerton, AZ
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: RBKG
- Location: 32.6564° N, 114.6058° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6564&lon=-114.6058&mi=10
- Aircraft: N104EA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N104EA-2021-03-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hiller UH-12E (registry code 4360122, https://openairdocs.org/model/hiller-uh-12e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HILLER UH12E
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,200 total, 160 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA08LA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA038) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071123827409A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON NOVEMBER 23, 2007, ABOUT 1930 MST, A HILLER UH-12E HELICOPTER, N104EA, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING AN IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF A CONTROL ROTOR, ABOUT THREE MILES NORTHEAST OF YUMA, ARIZONA. THE HELICOPTER IS REGISTERED TO TRI-ROTOR SPRAY AND CHEMICAL OF ULYSSES, KANSAS, AND OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14, CFR PART 137. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED NEAR YUMA APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS CONDUCTING AN AERIAL APPLICATION ON A CROP. AS THE HELICOPTER FLEW OVER A SET OF POWER LINES, THE PILOT FELT AN EXTREME VIBRATION AND INITIATED A FORCED LANDING. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER, BY THE PILOT AND OPERATOR, REVEALED THAT A CONTROL ROTOR HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ROTOR SYSTEM. THE SEPARATED CONTROL ROTOR WAS FOUND IN THE AREA WHERE THE VIBRATION STARTED.

## 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 SEA08LA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA038), Nov 24, 2007: Hiller UH-12E (N104EA), Yuma, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fatigue fracture of the control rotor blade spar and failure of maintenance personnel to follow maintenance directives.

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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