20100101025799A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hiller UH-12E · Tipton, CA · January 1, 2010

Date: January 1, 2010 · 11:42 local
Place: Tipton, CA
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N440NR
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR10CA094
Reported as: Hiller UH-12E
Reported engine: Lycoming VO-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 13,000 total5,000 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N440NRRegistered now · Hiller UH-12ES/N 2275 · Built 1964 Airframe modelHiller UH-12E Engine modelLycoming VO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Weather was overcast for the first part of the flight. When the sun came out during a swath run, the pilot propped up the collective with his knee and reached up to lower his helmet visor. At the same time, the helicopter flew through some turbulence and pitched forward. There was not enough time to recover before the skids impacted the ground.

As the FAA filed it

WEATHER WAS OVERCAST FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE FLIGHT. WHEN THE SUN CAME OUT DURING A SWATH RUN, THE PILOT PROPPED UP THE COLLECTIVE WITH HIS KNEE AND REACHED UP TO LOWER HIS HELMET VISOR. AT THE SAME TIME, THE HELICOPTER FLEW THROUGH SOME TURBULENCE AND PITCHED FORWARD. THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO RECOVER BEFORE THE SKIDS IMPACTED THE GROUND.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR10CA094Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportTipton, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain.Jan 1, 2010 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N440NR · 1

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

Incident 19930426013479IPwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate · Columbus, OHEngine losing power. Forced landing in open area. Engine locked up. One engine fan blade missing.Apr 26, 1993 · Minor damage