- Date
- July 13, 2001, 08:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place
- Blythe, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9281PHiller UH-12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Status
- Completed · report February 5, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flt Stnds Dist Office
- FAA report
- 20010713016999A
- Case key
- 52696
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 selection by the pilot of an unsuitable precautionary landing site on soft, uneven terrain, which resulted in a rollover.
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
During a chemical application pass, the pilot of the aerial application helicopter sensed a decrease in engine power and elected to make a precautionary landing. During the landing in a cotton field on irregular, wet ground, the right skid settled into the soil and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. In his subsequent report to the Safety Board, in the section entitled "Mechanical Malfunction Failure," the pilot checked "no."
Factual narrative
On July 13, 2001, at 0820 hours Pacific daylight time, a Hiller UH-12E, N9281P, landed in soft soil and rolled onto its right side at Blythe, California. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; however, the helicopter was substantially damaged. The aerial application flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 137 by H&H Aerial Applicators. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter departed from a local helipad near the work site at 0815.
The pilot told the Safety Board investigator that, following an application pass, he sensed a decrease in engine power and elected to make a precautionary landing. During the landing in a cotton field on irregular, wet ground, the right skid settled into the soil and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. In his report to the Safety Board, in the section entitled "Mechanical Malfunction Failure" the pilot checked "no."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9281P
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 5219
- Airframe hours
- 1,403
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-C2A, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Akana Francis H DBA
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 29, 2001 · 58 hours before
- Departed
- Blythe, CA
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 15, 2000
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total · 2,500 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC)
- Wind
- 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- BLH
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 18, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 384 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.