- Date
- January 1, 2010, 11:42 local (19:42 UTC)
- Place
- Tipton, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N440NRHiller UH-12E
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 6, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminstration
- FAA report
- 20100101025799A
- Case key
- 75219
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 pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While maneuvering at low level over a field during an aerial application flight, the helicopter pilot took his hand off the collective to adjust the sun visor because the sun was in his eyes. The pilot reported that he had used his leg to block the collective from moving as he adjusted the visor. The helicopter hit mild turbulence and bumped his leg away from the collective. The collective slipped down, and the helicopter impacted the ground and rolled over on its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and cockpit. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter's flight control system or engine prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
While maneuvering at low level over a field during an aerial application flight, the pilot took his hand off the collective to adjust the sun visor because the sun was in his eyes. The pilot reported that he had used his leg to block the collective from moving as he adjusted the visor. The helicopter hit mild turbulence and bumped his leg away from the collective. The collective slipped down, and the helicopter impacted the ground and rolled over on its side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom and cockpit. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter's flight control system or engine prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N440NR
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2275
- Airframe hours
- 7,360
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540 SERIES, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Costa Spraying Inc
- Registered owner
- Costa Spraying Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 23, 2009
- Departed
- Tipton, CA
- Destination
- Tipton, CA
- Airport
- VIS · Visalia Municipal Airport
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
- 35
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 19, 2009
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 14,000 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 350 in the last 90 days · 120 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.30 inHg
- Observed at
- VIS, 16 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 29, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 344 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.