- Date
- May 18, 1983, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Thermal, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4027LHiller UH-12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830518056779A
- Case key
- 23717
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 reported that he was aprx 1/3 of the way thru a procedure turn at about 60 ft AGL, when he experienced a partial power loss. He completed the turn, leveled the helicopter & moumentarily regained complete power, then the engine quit operating. An autorotative landing to a road was started, but the plt saw a truck approaching, so he maneuvered back toward the field that he had been spraying. During the landing flare, the tail rotor struck the ground. Subsequently, the plt lost control of the helicopter & it came to rest on its right side. During an investigation, the auxiliary fuel pump had to be primed before the eng would start. Reportedly, a fuel interuption to the pump could cause it to lose its prime, & if this occurred during flt, fuel starvation would occur. The plt stated that he had made cyclic turns to keep postitive g's on the rotor system rather than cyclic & pedal turns. Aprx gal of fuel was remaining.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4027L
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 5074
- Airframe hours
- 951
- Engine
- Lycoming VO540-C2A, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- J & J Helicopter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 20, 1982 · 74 hours before
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
- 43
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 8,050 total · 4,800 in this make and model · 7,790 as pilot in command · 183 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRM, 5 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 N4027L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.