- Date
- February 21, 1986, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Odessa, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8542FHiller UH-12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860221022979A
- Case key
- 40358
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
During an external load operation to remove groundwire off crossarms, the cable splice jammed in the pulley frame. The helicopters forward motion stopped and it then struck the ground. The pilot said the cargo hook release didn't work but no failures were found in post accident testing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8542F
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1385
- Airframe hours
- 6,547
- Engine
- Lycoming IVO-540-B1A, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 133
- Registered owner
- Donald Gary Beck
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 18, 1986 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- Odessa, WA
- Destination
- Odessa, WA
- Airport
- None
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
- 41
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,686 total · 2,853 in this make and model · 4,553 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 19 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.