Pilot Debrief

Hiller UH-12E near La Porte, TX — 2008-04-04

Final reportDEN08LA071
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Date
2008-04-04
Location
La Porte, TX, USA
Airport
T41
Aircraft
Hiller UH-12E
Registration
N40289
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing factors were the sudden windshift to a tailwind, and the pilot initiating a hovering turn in ground effect.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was test flying the helicopter after maintenance. He did two "quick stop" maneuvers into the wind. After completing the quick stop maneuver, and while in a 5-foot hover, he initiated a slow pedal turn to the left to return to the hangar. As he began the turn, he noticed "a loss of control effectiveness" and he attempted to set the helicopter down. Before he could regain control, the helicopter "slammed" into the ground. The pilot said it had begun to rain, and after he exited the helicopter, he noticed the wind sock had shifted 180 degrees. The tail boom was severed and the main rotor blades were destroyed.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the maneuver when noticing loss of control effectiveness.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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