Hiller UH-12B accident near Mccullough, Alabama, October 1, 1983
On October 1, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12B (helicopter), registered N67699, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mccullough, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 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
- October 1, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mccullough, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12B · all UH-12Bs on the register
- Registration
- N67699 · registry record · serial 430
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED IN A COTTON FIELD AFTER MANEUVERING AT LOW ALT TO CHECK THE CROP. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS AT AN ALT OF 4 OR 5 FT AND FORWARD FLT WAS BELOW TRANSITIONAL LIFT SPEED. THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO REDUCE AND ALSO THERE WAS A DROP IN ENGINE RPM. THE PILOT INCREASED ROTOR PITCH AND ROTOR RPMS CONTINUED TO DECAY. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND, ROCKED FORWARD AND BACKWARD AND THE ROTOR CUT OFF THE TAIL BOOM. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE WITH THE MIXTURE LEVER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,630 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,244 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1983; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6UH33550 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mccullough at 10:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.