# NTSB LAX95LA005: Hiller UH-12E, N145HA, Salinas, CA, October 13, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 13, 1994, 05:40 local (12:40 UTC) - Place: Salinas, CA - Location: 36.6902° N, 121.6338° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Salinas, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6902&lon=-121.6338&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 5, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28959 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA005 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28959/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA005 ## Probable cause an in-flight engine compartment fire for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, maneuvering - aerial application - engine compartment - fire (cause) - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY FOR THE HELICOPTER. A GROUND LOADER CREWMAN WAS WATCHING THE APPLICATION RUN AND REPORTED THAT HE SAW WHITE SPARKS AND A FIRE IN THE AREA OF THE ENGINE, THEN THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN AND FELL TO THE GROUND. A FIRE THEN ENVELOPED THE AIRCRAFT. AN FAA INSPECTOR RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE AND EXAMINED THE HELICOPTER. HE REPORTED THAT DRIVE SYSTEM CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE AIRCRAFT, AND THAT ALL ROTATING COMPONENTS OF THE MAIN AND TAIL ROTOR SYSTEMS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE WRECKAGE. THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED IN DETAIL. THE ACCESSORY SECTION, ALL ACCESSORIES, THE CARBURETORS, MAGNETOS, PUMPS, AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUEL AND OIL LINES WERE COMPLETELY MELTED. THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER HEAD SUSTAINED EXTREME HEAT DISTRESS WITH PARTIAL MELTING OF THE HEAD NOTED. THE VALVES, VALVE SPRINGS, ROCKER ARMS, AND VALVE SEATS FOR THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER HEAD WERE PRESENT IN THE REMAINS OF THE HEAD. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF AN INTERNAL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. ## Factual narrative On October 13, 1994, at 0540 Pacific daylight time, a Hiller UH- 12E helicopter, N145HA, collided with the ground following a loss of control during an aerial application operation at Salinas, California. The helicopter was owned and operated by Helicair AG, Inc., of Salinas, California, and was applying chemicals under 14 CFR Part 137 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The helicopter was destroyed in the collision sequence and postcrash fire. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight originated at the Salinas airport on the morning of the accident at 0530 as a local aerial application flight. According to the operator, this was the first flight of the day for the helicopter. A ground loader crewman was watching the application run and reported that he saw white sparks and a fire in the area of the engine, then the helicopter began to spin and fell to the ground. A fire then enveloped the aircraft. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the accident site and examined the helicopter. He reported that drive system continuity was established throughout the aircraft, and that all rotating components of the main and tail rotor systems were accounted for in the wreckage. He stated that he observed no obvious evidence of broken or severed oil or fuel lines in the engine compartment area. Under the direction of the National Transportation Safety Board, a technical representative from Textron Lycoming Engines examined the powerplant. He reported that the accessory section, all accessories, the carburetors, magnetos, pumps, and engine compartment fuel and oil lines were completely melted. The number 2 cylinder head sustained extreme heat distress with partial melting of the head noted. The valves, valve springs, rocker arms, and valve seats for the number 2 cylinder head were present in the remains of the head. The representative noted that he found no evidence of an internal catastrophic failure. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N145HA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N145HA-1998-01-26), registration cancelled 1998-01-26, S/N HA3045 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HILLER UH-12E - Registry model: [Hiller UH-12E](https://openairdocs.org/model/hiller-uh-12e) (registry code 4360122) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: HA3045 - Airframe hours: 6668 - Engines: LYCOMING VO-540-C2A 340 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Helicair Ag, Inc. - Registered owner: Helicair Ag, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 27, 1994, 28 hours before - Departed: SNS - Destination: SNS, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: center; flight hours: 8,779 total, 3,681 in this make and model, 8,402 as pilot in command, 167 in the last 90 days, 91 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: 360° at 6 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: SNS, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19941013034799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941013034799A), Oct 13, 1994: Hiller UH12E, Salinas, CA, Destroyed. First flight for day. Sparks fire. Spun. Fell to ground. Inflight engine fire source unknown. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.