Hiller-Soloy UH-12E N40290

Summary

On 16 January 1986 at about 20:38 local time, a Hiller-Soloy UH-12E registered N40290 was involved in an accident near Horton, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

16 January 1986 at 20:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Horton, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

44.1690, -123.5702

Aircraft

Hiller-Soloy UH-12E

Registration

N40290

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Horton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA86FA039

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FORK CONNECTING THE ROTORCRAFT'S BLUE BLADE TO THE MAIN ROTOR HUB SEPARATED AFTER A LONG TERM FATIGUE CRACK HAD SPREAD THROUGH MORE THAN 60% OF THE FORK CIRCUMFERENCE. THE OPERATOR FAILED TO CARRY OUT THE APPROPRIATE INSPECTION OF THE FORK UNIT AS DELINEATED IN THE FAA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE DUE IN PART TO CONFUSION OVER THE WORDING OF THE AD COUPLED WITH THE MISPERCEPTION THAT THE FORK REQUIRED ONLY A VISUAL INSPECTION RATHER THAN A DYE PENETRANT CHECK. THE MISPERCEPTION OF THE TYPE OF INSPECTION WAS BORN OUT OF A BELIEF THAT THE ORIGINAL BLADE FORK WITH ITS TEN THOUSAND SERIES SERIAL NUMBER REQUIRED ONLY A VISUAL CHECK. THE INSTALLED BLADE FORK SERIAL NUMBER WAS NO LONGER EVIDENT ON THE PART AND MANUFACTURER RECORDS HAD BEEN LOST THUS PREVENTING THE OPERATOR FROM VERIFYING THE SERIAL NUMBER AND INSTITUTING THE NECESSARY INSPECTION. STRONG GUSTY WINDS EXISTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE ASSOCIATED WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.