20200717012169A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Hiller UH-12D · Mehama, OR · July 17, 2020

Date: July 17, 2020 · 08:54 local
Place: Mehama, OR
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: GEVG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N2297W
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20LA224
Reported as: Hiller UH-12D
Reported engine: Allison 250 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot

N2297WRegistration cancelled Sep 1, 2020 · Hiller UH-12DS/N 1206 · Built 1960 Airframe modelHiller UH-12D Engine modelAllison 250 seriesTurbo-prop

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.

Helicopter departed one field to relocate to next field for spraying.

Witnesses report hearing engine pitch change and then heard helicopter impact the trees.

According to farm owner, heard pilot report "going down"

It appears helicopter struck some trees and impacted the ground.

As the FAA filed it

HELICOPTER DEPARTED ONE FIELD TO RELOCATE TO NEXT FIELD FOR SPRAYING.

WITNESSES REPORT HEARING ENGINE PITCH CHANGE AND THEN HEARD HELICOPTER IMPACT THE TREES.

ACCORDING TO FARM OWNER, HEARD PILOT REPORT "GOING DOWN"

IT APPEARS HELICOPTER STRUCK SOME TREES AND 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 WPR20LA224Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportMehama, ORAn in-flight separation of a tail rotor blade due to fatigue cracking and overstress, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent ground impact.Jul 17, 2020 · Destroyed

Other reports on N2297W · 2

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

Incident 19980612025279ILow Level Operations · St Paul, ORMr. Harchenko during spraying operations on 06-17-98 struck a powerline. Heindicated he had flown over the field prior to spraying, but missed this particular line because it blended with the trees behind it. He landed the helicopter after the strike and…Jun 12, 1998 Accident 19931207046099APwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate · Sublimity, ORFailed check fuel prior takeoff for tree hauling. Engine quit in 30 minutes. Drop load. Landed. Tanks were empty.Dec 7, 1993 · Substantial damage