- Date
- April 15, 1982, 15:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Chowchilla, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N67156Hiller UH-12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820415010399A
- Case key
- 70241
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 pilot was conducting an aerial dusting operation over a grape vineyard. While on a swath run, he gradually converged on a powerline that crossed the field at a slight angle from his flight path. As he proceeded on his swath run, the helicopter got closer and closer to the powerline poles. Subsequently, the main rotor struck a pole and the helicopter crashed and burned. The pilot was hospitalized with severe burns on his hands and chest.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N67156
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1306
- Airframe hours
- 4,882
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540, 310 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- San-Fran-Frenso Land Co
- Registered owner
- San-Fran-Frenso Land Co
- Departed
- Chowchilla, CA
- Destination
- Chowchilla, 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
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,615 total · 175 in this make and model · 2,375 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 326° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 158 °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 N67156 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.