- Date
- April 2, 1982, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Near Toutle, WA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9060FHiller UH-12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 2, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820402007749A
- Case key
- 71943
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
About 1 1/2 minutes after takeoff, the pilot heard a loud "bang" which was followed by a vertical and lateral vibration. The helicopter began to descend, pitch forward, and roll right as the vibration increased. The pilot elected to make an autorotative landing on a nearby sand bar. As the helicopter touched down on sloping terrain, it rolled over on its right side and was substantially damaged. During the investigation, the transmission and the engine were disassembled, but no discrepancies were found. One of the main rotor blade caps had separated. However, the investigator was unable to determine whether the blade cap separated before or after impact. The cap was not found.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9060F
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2039
- Airframe hours
- 5,798
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-C2A, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Terry Witham
- Registered owner
- Terry Witham
- Departed
- Kid Valley, WA
- Destination
- Kid Valley, WA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 2,092 total · 28 in this make and model · 1,824 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 115 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TDO, 20 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.