Hiller UH-12ET accident near Stonesboro, South Carolina, April 20, 2000
On April 20, 2000 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12ET (helicopter), registered N9762C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stonesboro, South Carolina. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper inflight decision not to refuel which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2000 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stonesboro, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12ET · all UH-12ETs on the register
- Registration
- N9762C · registry record · serial 2159
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had completed two spray runs and was on the third operation when he experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot explained that, the truck used to support the spraying operation had been driven into a ditch and he was distracted by the truck driver's problem, and neglected to refuel the helicopter. Moments later, the engine lost power after the helicopter ran out of fuel. The pilot selected an area for a forced landing. During the final approach to touchdown, the tail rotor assembly collided with a tree. The subsequent examination of the helicopter disclosed that there was only a trace of fuel in the fuel tanks. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the helicopter before the total loss of engine power.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,500 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 16,900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 20, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison C-250-20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Stonesboro SC at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from CAE, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9762C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL00LA043.