SEA05CA104

The helicopter was parked on a trailer heading into the wind about half an hour prior to its repositioning to a mixing truck. As the pilot lifted the helicopter off the trailer he noticed the wind had switched about 40 to 50 degrees to the left, gusting from 10 to 20 knots. The helicopter subsequently weathervaned to the left, but before the pilot could correct for the left yaw its forward skid became caught under the trailer's left lip, resulting in a dynamic rollover of the helicopter onto its left side. The pilot did not report any anomalies with the helicopter that would have contributed to the accident.

On May 23, 2005, approximately 1030 Pacific daylight time, Hiller UH-12E single-engine helicopter, N3030H, was substantially damaged following a loss of control and subsequent rollover during takeoff near Estacada, Oregon. The aircraft was registered to Whites Helicopter Service of Colton, Oregon. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant of the helicopter was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 CFR Part 137 regulations, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

In a telephone interview and in a written statement provided to the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that in preparation to beginning aerial application operations, he had to reposition the helicopter from a trailer to a mixing truck. The pilot stated that the helicopter was sitting backwards on the trailer pointing into the wind, which was from the northeast. Approximately a half hour later he noticed the wind had shifted about 40 to 50 degrees to the left, and was now coming out of the north gusting from 10 to 20 knots. The pilot reported, "I initially parked the helicopter facing NE (northeast). At about 1030 I started the helicopter to being work. As I was lifting the helicopter off of the trailer I felt a strong gust of wind and the helicopter weathervaned to the left. The right skid got hooked under the left rear lip of the trailer before I could correct [for] the yaw. The helicopter dynamically rolled over on its left side, still caught under the trailer taking it with me." The pilot reported that the helicopter was destroyed and that there was no postcrash fire. The pilot had 2,719 hours of total flight experience, 2,072 hours in helicopters, and 1,191 hours in the accident helicopter make and model. The pilot stated that there were no anomalies with the helicopter prior to beginning the repositioning of the helicopter, which would have prevented normal operations.