Hiller UH12E accident near Miami, Florida, February 11, 2002
On February 11, 2002 at about 10:06 pm local time, a Hiller UH12E (helicopter), registered N103HA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Private airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fatigue cracking in the main rotor hub that resulted in the separation of the main rotor system. A factor was corrosive deposits on the exposed portion of the plate set pin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 2002 · about 10:06 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Private · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH12E · all UH12Es on the register
- Registration
- N103HA · no longer on the register · serial HA3003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Hiller UH-12E collided with the ground during a forced landing. According to the pilot, while executing aerial applications at 15 to 20 feet AGL, he heard a bang and the helicopter began shaking and yawing. The pilot realized he was losing altitude and attempted to slow the descent by using the collective. The helicopter impacted the ground, and caught fire. The pilot exited the helicopter through a hole in the bubble. Examination of the main rotor hub pieces revealed that the fracture at the hub had progressed through the inboard pin hole for the torsion/tension plate set. Six fracture faces were noted in the examination corresponding with the pin hole. Two fracture faces showed discoloration with a distinctive banding pattern and smoothly curved crack arrest marks consistent with fatigue propagation. Examination of the remaining two fractures revealed no evidence of fatigue cracking, but did show some corrosion on the exposed portion of the pin.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,239 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 2,130 as pilot in command; 965 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 8, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,481 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 2002; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO540C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Miami FL at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 90 ft; scat at 40 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from TMB, 3 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.
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.