- Date
- August 15, 1992, 06:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Arvin, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9753CHiller UH12-E, Saloy Conver
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920815031449A
- Case key
- 27731
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 failure of the tension torsion bar pin due to fatigue. Contributing to this accident was that it was not possible for the pilot to flare the helicopter on landing.
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 application flight. While executing the procedure turnaround, the main rotor blade tension torsion pin failed due to fatigue. This part has a life limit of 643 hours. The failed pin accrued 641.5 hours. The pilot was able to execute an autorotation, but was unable to flare which resulted in a hard landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9753C
- Reported as
- Hiller UH12-E, Saloy Conver (UH12-E, SA)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2340
- Airframe hours
- 6,352
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- San Joaquin Helicopters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- San Joaquin Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1992 · 323 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
- 38
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 7,890 total · 3,502 in this make and model · 7,721 as pilot in command · 238 in the last 90 days · 89 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 35 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.