# Accident 20220706007819A: Hiller UH-12E, Becker, MN, July 6, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 6, 2022, 10:15 local time
- Place: Becker, MN
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: KHEG
- Location: 45.3947° N, 93.8727° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.3947&lon=-93.8727&mi=10
- Aircraft: N64272, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N64272-2023-03-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hiller UH-12E (registry code 4360122, https://openairdocs.org/model/hiller-uh-12e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HILLER UH-12E
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 6,200 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA318) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220706007819A

## Narrative

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

2022-07-06 N64272 CRASHED IN POTATO FIELD WHILE PERFORMING 137 AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION.

PIC HAD BEEN SPRAYING A POTATO FIELD IN N64272 FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 HOURS. AT THE START OF THE FIRST SPRAY SWATH AFTER RETURNING FROM SUPPORT TRUCK TO RELOAD THE PILOT STATED HE FELT A SMALL JOLT AND THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND. PIC SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS SUBSTANTIAL. AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED BY OPERATOR PRIOR TO FAA OR NTSB NOTIFICATION. OPERATOR STATED MAIN ROTOR BLADES, HUB AND TRANSMISSION WERE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE BLADE MARKED IN YELLOW WAS FOUND 500 FEET WEST OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE BLADE MARKED IN BLUE WAS FOUND 300 FEET EAST OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE MAST WITH PART OF THE TRANSMISSION ATTACHED WAS FOUND 150 FEET NORTHEAST OF THE BLUE BLADE.  MAIN ROTOR HUB P/N 51437-23 S/N 20067 WAS INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT 12-14-2018, RECORDS SHOW 1116.4 TIME SINCE NEW AND 0.0 TIME SINCE OVERHAUL ON 12/14/2018 AT AIRCRAFT TOTAL TIME 9441.4. RECORDS SHOW 100 HOUR INSPECTION AND COMPLIANCE WITH AD 73-20-03 (MAIN ROTOR HUB DYE PENETRANT INSPECTION) WERE PERFORMED 07/02/2022 1353.1 HOBBS 10276 AIRCRAFT TOTAL TIME.  FAA WAS UNABLE TO INSPECT FIELD, 7 DAYS HAD PASSED BEFORE THE FAA WAS NOTIFIED AND THE PROPERTY OWNER HAD ALREADY BEEN WORKING IN THE FIELD. THE NTSB REQUESTED THE PARTS OF THE MAIN ROTOR HUB AND GRIP ASSEMBLIES BE SENT TO THEIR LAB FOR EXAMINATION.

## 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 CEN22LA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA318), Jul 6, 2022: Hiller UH12E (N64272), Becker, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The in-flight failure of the main rotor mast hub due to several undetected fatigue fractures.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.