- Date
- May 24, 1987, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Spartanburg, SC
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6408Hiller UH-12D (H23)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 2, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870524015509A
- Case key
- 7297
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a local pleasure flight above the treetops, the passenger reported that they heard a loud 'pop' over the sound of the engine. The plt told her that they were going down and she noticed the main rotor blades began to turn slower than usual before the helo collided with trees and then the ground. A prolonged post impact ground fire consumed the wreckage. Thorough examination of the flight controls, engine and transmission assembly did not reveal any evidence of mechanical malfunction. The fuel and ignition system was completely destroyed by fire and was unable to be evaluated. Associates of the pilot stated that he usually operated at approx 200 ft AGL.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6408
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12D (H23) (UH-12D (H2)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1366
- Airframe hours
- 6,588
- Engine
- Lycoming O-435-23C-R, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William E. Humphries
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 18, 1986 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- SPA · Spartanburg, SC
- Destination
- Duncan, SC
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,800 total · 1,194 in this make and model · 1,587 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GSP, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.