Hiller UH-12E N1349A

Summary

On 27 June 1995 at about 15:00 local time, a Hiller UH-12E registered N1349A was involved in an accident near Blue Rapids, Kansas, United States. One person was 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

27 June 1995 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Blue Rapids, Kansas, United States

Coordinates

39.6709, -96.6494

Aircraft

Hiller UH-12E

Registration

N1349A

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ulysses → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI95LA202

Nobody was injured.

the leaking drain in the main fuel sump. Factors to the accident were the incorrect fuel indication, the ravine, fuel exhaustion, and the low rotor RPM.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL LEVEL DURING HIS MORNING PREFLIGHT. HE REPORTED THAT HE USES A STOP WATCH TO BACK UP THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE AND USUALLY HAS TWO HOURS AND TWENTY FIVE MINUTES OF USABLE FUEL. HE HAD FLOWN 2 HOURS AND 1.5 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND ESTIMATED HE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE 10 OR 11 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL. HE STATED THAT HE WAS IN A RAVINE WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE 'USED SOME OF THE ROTOR RPM TO GET AWAY FROM THE RAVINE ON TO AN AREA WITHOUT ROCKS AND TREES.' HE FLARED AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE. DURING THE LANDING, A MAIN ROTOR BLADE IMPACTED THE TAIL BOOM. HE REPORTED THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE INDICATED 40 POUNDS WHEN HE SHUT OFF THE MASTER SWITCH. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE DRAIN VALVE IN THE MAIN FUEL SUMP WAS LEAKING. THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR DISPLAYED 'LOW, NOT EMPTY'. NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS REPORTED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.