Hiller UH-12C N46937

Summary

On 20 May 1993 at about 20:18 local time, a Hiller UH-12C registered N46937, operated by Jocher, Arthur H., was involved in an accident near Sarasota, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 May 1993 at 20:18

Classification

Accident

Location

Sarasota, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.2508, -82.3810

Aircraft

Hiller UH-12C

Registration

N46937

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Jocher, Arthur H.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA93LA125

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER APPLICATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING, RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH WIRES AND TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM (CARBURETOR) BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, RESULTING IN A CONTAMINATED CARBURETOR AND A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT ABOUT 400 FEET AGL WHEN HE OBSERVED A SUDDEN DROP IN ENGINE RPM FOLLOWED BY AN INCREASE IN RPM. THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING BY ENTERING AN AUTOROTATION. DURING THE DECELERATION THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND CRASHED. REVIEW OF THE HELICOPTER LOGBOOKS REVEALED THE CARBURETOR FLOAT ASSEMBLY HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED, AND NUMEROUS SERVICE BULLETIN PROCEDURES PERTAINING TO THE MA 4-5 CARBURETOR HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. DISASSEMBLY INSPECTION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED THE CARBURETOR WAS CONTAMINATED. SAND WAS PRESENT IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL, THE FUEL INLET ASSEMBLY WAS DIRTY AND THE PUMP PLUNGER ASSEMBLY WAS RUSTY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.