Hiller UH12D accident near Dothan, Alabama, August 2, 1982
On August 2, 1982 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Hiller UH12D (helicopter), registered N79SW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dothan, Alabama. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1982 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dothan, Alabama
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH12D · all UH12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N79SW · registry record · serial 1136
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT CALCULATED HIS FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT AND DETERMINED IT ADEQUATE FOR THE FLIGHT. HE DRAINED THE FUEL SUMP WHILE THE CREW WAS LOADING FUNGICIDE AT THE LOADING AREA. AFTER THE SPRAYING WAS COMPLETED, THE PILOT STARTED HIS RETURN FLIGHT AND WHEN OVER A SWAMPY STAND OF TREES THE ENGINE QUIT. HE AUTOROTATED TO A FORCED LANDING INTO THE TREES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL DRAIN VALVE WAS OPEN AND THE FUEL TANKS CONTAINED SLIGHTLY OVER A GALLON OF FUEL.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 1,455 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,418 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dothan AL at 4:15 pm
- Destination: Dothan AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 198°F (92°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.