- Date
- November 1, 1985, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Vernal, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N400AHHiller UH-12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851101055799A
- Case key
- 16879
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 plt stated he had just departed a site located on top of a mountain, which is approximately 12,200 ft MSL. The pilot said 30 seconds later, the helicopter lost partial power. Requiring him to make a force landing. The inspection of the turbocharger revealed the compressor impeller retaining nut had backed off, allowing the compressor impeller to contact the compressor shroud and leading to the seizure of the impeller. This resulted in the failure of the turbocharger.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N400AH
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1177
- Airframe hours
- 6,334
- Engine
- Lycoming TIVO-540-A2A, 315 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Calvin D. Hunt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 6, 1985 · 14 hours before
- Airport
- VEL · Vernal
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
- 32
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,641 total · 4,260 in this make and model · 4,200 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 46 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VEL, 39 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.
Other investigations on N400AH · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.