Hiller UH12E accident near Greeleyville, South Carolina, March 25, 1993
On March 25, 1993 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Hiller UH12E (helicopter), registered N4029Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greeleyville, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF THE HELICOPTER'S ALTITUDE DURING THE LANDING FLARE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1993 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greeleyville, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH12E · all UH12Es on the register
- Registration
- N4029Z · no longer on the register · serial 5143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A LANDING APPROACH WAS BEING MADE TO AN EMPTY FIELD ADJACENT TO THE PILOT'S HOUSE. THE APPROACH TO THE FIELD WAS OVER A LAKE. WHEN THE HELICOPTER WAS FLARED FOR LANDING OVER THE LAKE, THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACTED THE LAKE SURFACE. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST & THE HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO THE LAKE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MISJUDGED HIS LANDING & APPROACH ALTITUDE.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,200 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming V0-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: H And M Aircraft Leasing
The flight
- Departed from: NONE
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from CHS, 40 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.