Hiller UH-12D N646JS accident, Winterhaven, CA, Jul 9, 1988 · NTSB LAX88DUM04

Date: July 8, 1988, 21:30 local (Jul 9, 1988, 04:30 UTC)
Place: Winterhaven, CA
Injuries: 1 minor
Damage: Destroyed
Phase of flight: Maneuvering
Aircraft: N646JSHiller UH-12D
Weather: Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status: Completed · report December 3, 1989
Report: Approved by Office Director
FAA report: 19880708026539A
Case key: 25732

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

Loss of engine powerManeuvering - turn to reverse direction

Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause

Forced landingDescent - emergency

Light condition - nightFactor

Terrain condition - high obstruction(s)Factor

Maneuver - intentionalPilot in commandCause

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown

Aircraft

Registration: N646JS
Reported as: Hiller UH-12D
Category: Helicopter
Serial number: 1299
Airframe hours: 4,081
Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A, 315 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage: Destroyed
Flight: Aerial application · Part 137
Registered owner: West Farm Air
Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special)
Last inspection: 100 hour · April 28, 1988 · 71 hours before

N646JSRegistration cancelled Jan 25, 2018 · Hiller UH-12DS/N 1299 Airframe modelHiller UH-12D

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, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings: Airplane
Medical: Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat: Center
Flight hours: 8,085 total · 150 in this make and model · 7,949 as pilot in command · 84 in the last 90 days · 42 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind: Calm
Visibility: 20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling: None
Temperature: 95 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19880708026539AHiller UH12D · Bakersfield, CAEngine failure while crop dusting. Abrupt maneuver to avoid obstacles. Had loss of rotor RPM, crashed in field.Jul 8, 1988 · N646JS · Destroyed

Other investigations on N646JS · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX88LA153Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBakersfield, CAThe helicopter encountered weather while enroute to its dest and diverted to an alternate arpt. It overflew the alternate and, after the engine failed from fuel exhaustion, crashed during an autorotative forced landing.Apr 4, 1988 · Substantial damage