20250811010179A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hiller UH-12E · Snohomish, WA · August 11, 2025

Date: August 11, 2025 · 07:45 local
Place: Snohomish, WA
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: GASG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N703WA
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR25LA246
Reported as: Hiller UH-12E
Reported engine: Allison 250-C20B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,000 total3,500 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days

N703WARegistered now · Hiller UH-12ES/N 2276 · Built 1963 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.

Pilot stated he crossed underneath powerlines to continue spraying product then made a right sharp turn. The pilot stated that he was a little low and then met a slight tailwind causing the agriculture sprayer right boom to impact the ground. The main rotor blade then impacted the ground and subsequential the pilot lost control. The helicopter then flipped over on its side. Counseled pilot to determine how they will prevent future mishaps.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED HE CROSSED UNDERNEATH POWERLINES TO CONTINUE SPRAYING PRODUCT THEN MADE A RIGHT SHARP TURN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS A LITTLE LOW AND THEN MET A SLIGHT TAILWIND CAUSING THE AGRICULTURE SPRAYER RIGHT BOOM TO IMPACT THE GROUND. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND AND SUBSEQUENTIAL THE PILOT LOST CONTROL. THE HELICOPTER THEN FLIPPED OVER ON ITS SIDE. COUNSELED PILOT TO DETERMINE HOW THEY WILL PREVENT FUTURE MISHAPS.

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 WPR25LA246Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportFobes Hill, WAThe pilot’s abrupt maneuver to avoid a powerline during an aerial application flight, which resulted in the helicopter’s impact with terrain.Aug 11, 2025 · Substantial damage