- Date
- March 25, 1993, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Greeleyville, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4029ZHiller UH12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930325009289A
- Case key
- 8731
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
The pilot's misjudgment of the helicopter's altitude during the landing flare.
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
A landing approach was being made to an empty field adjacent to the pilot's house. The approach to the field was over a lake. When the helicopter was flared for landing over the lake, the tail rotor contacted the lake surface. Directional control was lost & the helicopter crashed into the lake. The pilot stated that he misjudged his landing & approach altitude.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4029Z
- Reported as
- Hiller UH12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 5143
- Engine
- Lycoming V0-540-C2A, 340 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- H And M Aircraft Leasing
- Registered owner
- H And M Aircraft Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- NONE
- 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
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,200 total · 65 in this make and model · 13,000 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHS, 40 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.