# NTSB DEN01TA095: Hiller UH-12E, N40296, Conchas, NM, May 7, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: May 7, 2001, 09:35 local (15:35 UTC) - Place: Conchas, NM - Coordinates: 35.28926, -104.189582 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2893&lon=-104.1896&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 19, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 53316 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN01TA095 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53316/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01TA095 ## Probable cause the pilot's misjudgment of the flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing factors were weather conditions conducive to carburetor icing, the pilot's delay in applying carburetor heat, and his inattention to the carburetor air temperature gauge. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - weather condition - carburetor icing conditions (contributing factor) - engine instruments,carb air temp gage - ice - inattentive, pilot in command (contributing factor) - carburetor heat - delayed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - autorotation - initiated, pilot in command - Hard landing, emergency descent/landing - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - open field ## Analysis The pilot was conducting low level wildlife surveillance. He stated that the atmosphere was humid. When the helicopter was refueled, he noticed that the carburetor had accumulated condensation from the humid air. The pilot departed and after 5 minutes of flight, he noticed that the carburetor air temperature gauge was reading in the lower one third of the yellow caution range. When he adjusted the carburetor heat control lever, the engine lost power. The pilot made an autorotation to an open area. The helicopter landed hard, the main rotor blade contacted and severed the tail boom, and the extended gear legs collapsed. ## Factual narrative On May 7, 2001, at 0935 mountain daylight time, a Hiller UH-12E, N40296, registered to MoAir, Inc. and operated by Miller Aero Service, Inc., under contract for the United States Department of Agriculture, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during a forced landing 17 miles west of Conchas, New Mexico. The airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company VFR flight plan had been filed for the public use flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at a local ranch near Conchas, New Mexico at approximately 0925 . According to information provided by the pilot, he was conducting low level wildlife surveillance for the United States Department of Agriculture. The pilot stated that cloud bases were between 1200 and 1400 feet AGL (above ground level), visibility was restricted due to haze, and the atmosphere was humid. During refueling operations, he noticed that the carburetor had accumulated condensation from the humid air. The pilot departed after refueling at approximately 0925. He then began conducting a wildlife search at an altitude of approximately 20 to 25 feet AGL. Approximately 5 minutes into the flight, the pilot noticed that the carburetor air temperature gauge was reading in the lower one third of the yellow caution range. As he attempted to adjust the carburetor heat control lever, the engine lost power. The pilot initiated an autorotation to a clearing. He used "the collective control a little to allow us to clear the brush and make the clearing. I flared hard and I attempted to level the helicopter with forward cyclic as I pulled pitch.... I pulled full pitch, but there was not enough stored energy left in the rotor system (RPM) to properly cushion the landing." The helicopter landed hard and the extended gear legs collapsed. The pilot further stated that upon exiting the helicopter, he found that 3 feet of the tail boom had been severed by the main rotor blade. ## Aircraft - Registration: N40296 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Hiller UH-12E - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 5149 - Airframe hours: 1531 - Engines: Lycoming VO-540-C2A 305 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft, Public use - Operator: Miller Aero Service, Inc. - Registered owner: Moair - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 2, 2001, 22 hours before - Departed: NONE, Conchas, NM - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review February 5, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 14,415 total, 1,658 in this make and model, 14,330 as pilot in command, 262 in the last 90 days, 59 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 45° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,200 ft overcast - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.34 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010507011059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010507011059A), May 7, 2001: Hiller UH12E, Conchas, NM, No damage. (.19)On may 7, 2001, approximately 0900 mountain daylight time, a Hiller UH-12E, N40296, under contract to the united states department of agriculture, was… 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. --- 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.