- Date
- March 31, 1990, 13:38 local (18:38 UTC)
- Place
- Soddy-Daisy, TN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N94496Hiller UH-12D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900331007339A
- Case key
- 8119
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Fatigue induced failure of the collective pitch push rod (adjustable) during flight, and the failure of the pilot to provide routine maintenance. The pilot's lack of expereince and his failure to obtain required training and certification were factors in the accident.
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
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot observed decreasing engine and rotor RPM. He lowered the collective, but the RPM did not return. The helicopter collided with trees and terrain during the forced landing attempt. An inspection of the helicopter revealed that the collective pitch push rod (adjustable) had failed in fatigue. The last recorded maintenance was performed on February 22, 1988, more than two years prior to the accident. The pilot/owner was operating the helicopter with a student pilot certificate and was carrying passengers.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94496
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1341
- Airframe hours
- 6,125
- Engine
- Lycoming O-435-A1C, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stanfield, Glenda P.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE · Hixson, TN
- Destination
- NONE
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 46 total · 30 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHA, 13 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.