20120919023599A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hiller UH-12B · Blum, TX · September 19, 2012

Date: September 19, 2012 · 09:55 local
Place: Blum, TX
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N94735
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12LA650
Reported as: Hiller UH-12B
Reported engine: Franklin 6A4200 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 250 in this make and model16 in the last 90 days

N94735Registered now · Hiller UH-12BS/N 523 · Built 1953 Airframe modelHiller UH-12B Engine modelFranklin 6A4200 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.

On September 19 , 2012, at approximately 0955 CST, a Hiller UH-12B helicopter, N94735, experienced a loss of engine power while maneuvering at a low altitude near rio vista, TX. The student pilot was on a survey flight looking at cattle and fences. The pilot reported that the helicopter engine suddenly stopped, so he elected to autorotate to a field. The helicopter made a hard landing and the skids were caught by the high vegetation. The pilot, sole occupant, was not injured during the forced landing and the helicopter was substantially damaged. An initial examination of the helicopter revealed that the tailrotor had separated from the helicopter and the main rotor had contacted the tailboom. Further examination conducted on October 5, 2012 by an A&P mechanic and observed by an FAA air worthiness inspector revealed that the number six engine piston self destructed and caused the engine to fail.

As the FAA filed it

ON SEPTEMBER 19 , 2012, AT APPROXIMATELY 0955 CST, A HILLER UH-12B HELICOPTER, N94735, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE NEAR RIO VISTA, TX. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A SURVEY FLIGHT LOOKING AT CATTLE AND FENCES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED, SO HE ELECTED TO AUTOROTATE TO A FIELD. THE HELICOPTER MADE A HARD LANDING AND THE SKIDS WERE CAUGHT BY THE HIGH VEGETATION. THE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED DURING THE FORCED LANDING AND THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED THAT THE TAILROTOR HAD SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER AND THE MAIN ROTOR HAD CONTACTED THE TAILBOOM.FURTHER EXAMINATION CONDUCTED ON OCTOBER 5, 2012 BY AN A&P MECHANIC AND OBSERVED BY AN FAA AIR WORTHINESS INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER SIX ENGINE PISTON SELF DESTRUCTED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL.

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 CEN12LA650Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRio Vista, TXThe catastrophic failure and disintegration of the No. 6 engine piston, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.Sep 19, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N94735 · 1

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

Accident 19770926030119AOps On Grnd To Tkof/Rtrcrft · Carrollton, MIWind gusting 20K.Sep 26, 1977 · Substantial damage