- Date
- August 4, 1988, 06:30 local (10:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lovely, PA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5375VHiller UH-12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report March 25, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880804030139A
- Case key
- 30755
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 undetermined loss of engine power while performing low level aerial application operations.
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 and the observer/passenger were performing aerial application operations along a powerline right-of-way when the helicopter experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot stated that he attempted to turn right and climb to avoid obstacles, but the engine did not produce full power when he added full thorttle. The helicopter 'settled and crashed' in an area of tall trees. Post-accident investigation included an engine teardown, which revealed evidence of overheating due to lack of lubrication.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5375V
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2072
- Airframe hours
- 8,189
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-C2A, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Helicopter Minit-Men, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · July 14, 1988 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- Load Site
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
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,419 total · 1,735 in this make and model · 3,090 as pilot in command · 171 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 150° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- A00, 15 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.