Hiller UH-12D accident near Mentor, Ohio, October 23, 1989
On October 23, 1989 at about 6:05 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12D (helicopter), registered N63LC, was destroyed in an accident near Mentor, Ohio. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1989 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Mentor, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12D · all UH-12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N63LC · registry record · serial 1402
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER (HEL) WAS BEING USED TO TAKE A RADIO TO A COUNTY EMERG OPNS CENTER TO TEST ITS RECEPTION AT 500' AGL. LOADED WITH THE RADIO, 27 GAL OF FUEL & A PAX, IT WAS WITHIN ITS WT & BALANCE LMTS. AS THE HEL WAS APCHG THE 500' LCTN &WAS BEING SLOWED IN LIGHT WIND (EST FM 160 DEG AT 5 KTS), THE PLT FELT A MODERATE VIBRATION. HE INTERPRETED THIS AS A TAIL ROTOR PROBLEM & REACTED BY ADJUSTING THE THROTTLE & OPERG THE PEDALS. HE STATED THAT THIS SEEMED ONLY TO OSCILLATE THE TAIL & CAUSE A LOSS OF LIFT. ALSO, HE NOTED THE VIBRATION SLOWED IN FREQ & BCM MORE VIOLENT. HE ATMTD TO INCREASE ENG RPM & RAISE THE COLLECTIVE TO GAIN ALT, BUT THE HEL BGN SPIRALING. IT THEN CRASHED ON WOODED TERRAIN & BGN BURNING, BUT THE OCCUPANTS EGRESSED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ACDNT, THOUGH SOME BINDING WAS NOTED IN THE PITCH CHANGE MECHANISM. SVRL WITNESSES INDCD THAT BEFORE THE ACDNT, THE HEL APCHD THE AREAFM THE NE & BGN SLOWING, AS IF THE PLT INTENDED TO HOVER. IT THEN BGN ROTATING TO THE RGT & SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 770 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 643 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,094 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 1988; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-23B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 2G1 Concord OH at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.