- Date
- September 21, 2010, 14:50 local (21:50 UTC)
- Place
- Mecca, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6053HHiller UH-12E
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100921045879A
- Case key
- 77361
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 an obstacle while maneuvering.
Findings · 1
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 during an agricultural application flight, the pilot flew too close to a telephone pole. The helicopter's main rotor blade impacted the pole about 10 feet above the ground. Thereafter, the pilot lost control of the helicopter and crashed into the field. The pilot reported that prior to the collision, no mechanical malfunctions were experienced with the helicopter.
Factual narrative
While maneuvering during an agricultural application flight, the pilot flew too close to a telephone pole. The helicopter's main rotor blade impacted the pole about 10 feet above the ground. Thereafter, the pilot lost control of the helicopter and crashed into the field. The pilot reported that prior to the collision, no mechanical malfunctions were experienced with the helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6053H
- Reported as
- Hiller UH-12E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 5230
- Airframe hours
- 3,531
- Engine
- Lycoming VO-540-CZA, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Brad Bertling, doing business as Salton Sea Air Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Bertling Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 7, 2010 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- Mecca, CA
- Destination
- Mecca, CA
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
- 62
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 15, 2009
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 23,820 total · 4,347 in this make and model · 23,600 as pilot in command · 85 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 18, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 283 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.