- Date
- October 12, 1982, 11:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Blanding, UT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5316VHiller UH-12C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 12, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19821012052159A
- Case key
- 69978
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
The private single-engine pilot had a student helicopter certificate. He took off to hover and check that the helicopter was in good condition. He stated that before takeoff, the helicopter was fueled with a 5 gallon can that had been painted red. Before refueling, he rinsed the can and then used a spout strainer to add about 10 gallons of fuel. After warming the engine and taking off, the helicopter flew about 50 seconds and then the engine coughed and lost power. An autorotation was initiated from about 50 ft and 35 mph. Subsequently, the helicopter landed hard, the rotor blades flexed downward and severed the tail boom, a fuel tank ruptured and the helicopter burned. Disassembly of the carburetor revealed that the main jet was blocked. Particles of red paint (that matched the paint on the fuel can) were found near the blockage. Also, the helicopter had little or no use in recent years. Reportedly, residual gum may have accumulated during the years and/or the fuel may have gummed the red paint.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5316V
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 762
- Airframe hours
- 1,392
- Engine
- Franklin 6VS-335-A, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Kenneth J. Davis
- Registered owner
- Kenneth J. Davis
- Departed
- BDG · Blanding, UT
- Destination
- BDG · Blanding, UT
- Airport
- BDG · Blanding City Municipal
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
- 33
- Certificates
- Private, Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 376 total · 14 in this make and model · 302 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Temperature
- 131 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5316V · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.