- Date
- February 7, 1986, 14:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Lodi, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N62421Hiller UH-12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860207049539A
- Case key
- 25070
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
While on an aerial agricultural spraying flight the acft engine lost total power. The plt executed an immediate autorotation landing. Upon ground contact, the acft skid for about 8 ft until the front skid contacted the ground furrow and nosed over causing the main rotor blade to contact the ground and tail boom assembly. The pilot reported that he had about 10 - 12 gallons aboard for the 5 minute flight and that he believed the fuel pump bypass valve malfunctioned causing the fuel to be 'dumped overboard' via the system drain valve. Investigation revealed that the acft contained less than 1/2 pt of fuel. The engine was functionally tested and it operated normally.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62421
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1731
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-C2A, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Alpine Helicopter Service, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,800 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 6,400 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 135° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °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 N62421 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.