ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 287712
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| Date: | Monday 4 June 2012 |
| Time: | 05:45 LT |
| Type: |  Hiller UH-12B |
| Owner/operator: | Larsen Helicopter Operations |
| Registration: | N93467 |
| MSN: | 589 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3627 hours |
| Engine model: | Franklin 6v-335-b |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Pasco, Washington -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Pasco-Tri-Cities Airport, WA (PSC/KPSC) |
| Pasco-Tri-Cities Airport, WA (PSC/KPSC) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot of the helicopter was maneuvering at a low altitude over a fruit orchard to dry the trees. After completing one section of the orchard, he climbed higher in order to check for obstacles near the adjacent orchard that he planned to dry next. While descending into position to work the adjacent orchard, the pilot noticed that the main rotor rpm was beginning to decay. Although he added some power, the rpm decay continued. He therefore made the decision to lower the collective, but realized he was too low to do so. Because he still had some forward airspeed and was able to maintain a controlled descent, the pilot maneuvered to land in an opening between the trees; however, the helicopter impacted trees just before it touched down. A postaccident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain the helicopter's rotor rpm while maneuvering at a low altitude over a fruit orchard.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB WPR12LA244
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Oct-2022 13:38 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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