Hiller UH12E accident near Valdez, Alaska, April 9, 1994
On April 9, 1994 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Hiller UH12E (helicopter), registered N87594, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valdez, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADVERTENT CLOSURE OF THE FUEL SUPPLY SHUTOFF VALVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1994 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Valdez, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH12E · all UH12Es on the register
- Registration
- N87594 · no longer on the register · serial 1729
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE/FUEL SYSTEM. THE FUEL SHUTOFF LEVER WAS FOUND HALFWAY BETWEEN ITS ON/OFF TRAVEL LIMITS. TESTING REVEALED THAT WITH THE LEVER AT HALF TRAVEL THE FUEL VALVE WAS FULLY CLOSED. THE FUEL LEVER IS LOCATED NEAR THE COCKPIT FLOOR IN THE AREA WHERE THE PILOT AND PASSENGER NORMALLY PLACE THEIR FEET.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1993; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.