# Accident 20080404832169A: Hiller UH12E, La Porte, TX, April 4, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 4, 2008, 15:10 local time
- Place: La Porte, TX
- Airport: La Porte Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.6714° N, 95.0736° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6714&lon=-95.0736&mi=10
- Aircraft: N40289, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40289-2012-11-15) (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: 18,500 total, 700 in this make and model, 90 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN08LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA071) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080404832169A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS LOST WHILE DOING HOVER PRACTICE IN THE GRASSY AREA AT THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 05 AT THE LA PORTE (T41) AIRPORT. PILOT STATED HE COULD NOT GAIN CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT AFTER TURNING DOWNWIND. PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE A RUN ON LANDING AND HIT HARD ON THE LEFT SKID BREAKING IT OFF. THE TAIL BOOM WAS THEN SEVERED BY THE MAIN ROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT THEN MADE SEVERAL 360 DEGREE TURNS ALONG THE GROUND DUE TO THE MAIN ROTOR STRIKING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE FACING SW. THE WINDS WERE OUT OF THE SE AT 13 KNOTS GUSTING TO 23. WEATHER DATA INDICATES THAT THE WINDS SHIFTED TO OUT OF THE NW 13 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME AS THE REPORTED ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THERE WERE NO FIRES. THE PILOT SUSTAINED INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.

## 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 DEN08LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA071), Apr 4, 2008: Hiller UH-12E (N40289), La Porte, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing factors were the sudden windshift to a tailwind, and the pilot initiating a hovering turn in ground effect.

## Other reports on N40289 (1)

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

- [Accident 19800512013099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800512013099A), May 12, 1980: Hiller UH12E (N40289), Oak Hill, WV, Substantial damage. Made hard tail-low landing from low rotor RPM. Helicopter bounced, made 180, landed in brush and 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.

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