Amateur-built HP-18 accident near Wellington, Ohio, June 8, 1985
On June 8, 1985 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built HP-18 (helicopter), registered N8036X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wellington, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- June 8, 1985 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wellington, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built HP-18
- Registration
- N8036X · registry record · serial 18-149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING AN APRX ONE-HALF HOUR FLT, WITNESSES STATED THAT THE GLIDER DID NOT APPEAR TO FLARE FOR LANDING, BUT INSTEAD, IMPACTED THE GROUND WITHOUT ARRESTING THE RATE OF DESCENT. THE PLT EPORTED HE HAD VERY POOR VENTILATION IN THE COCKPIT AND FEELS THAT HE WAS A VICTIM OF HEAT PROSTRATION. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE HAD NOT CONSUMED ENOUGH LIQUIDS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE FLT WAS 90 DEGS F.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1984
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNK (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft; not recorded at 4,700 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from CLE, 22 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.