Hiller UH-12D accident near Savoy, Illinois, July 2, 1991
On July 2, 1991 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12D (helicopter), registered N94515, was substantially damaged in an accident near Savoy, Illinois (Champaign-Willard airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TAIL ROTOR CLEARANCE FROM THE GROUND. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN HELICOPTERS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1991 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Savoy, Illinois · Champaign-Willard · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12D · all UH-12Ds on the register
- Registration
- N94515 · registry record · serial 1172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL AIRPLANE PILOT WAS PERFORMING 'QUICK STOP' MANEUVERS WHILE PRACTICING FOR HIS HELICOPTER RATING. HE REPORTED THAT HE ENTERED THE MANEUVER AT 20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THEN MADE SEVERAL ADJUSTMENTS WITH BOTH CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM AND ALTITUDE. THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED DURING THE MANEUVER AND THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BEGAN TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER THE TAIL ROTOR GROUND CONTACT, SO HE REDUCED COLLECTIVE AND MADE A HARD LANDING ON THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.
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
What happened, in order
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during maneuvering
- HARD LANDING during landing
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, ASE, APLN, none
- Flight time: 360 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 276 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,124 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, June 28, 1991; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming V0-435-23C-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scattered at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°C, dew point 0°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI91LA205.