Hiller UH-12C accident near Blanding, Utah, October 12, 1982
On October 12, 1982 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12C (helicopter), registered N5316V, was destroyed in an accident near Blanding, Utah (Blanding City Municipal 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).
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 12, 1982 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Blanding, Utah · Blanding City Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12C · all UH-12Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5316V · no longer on the register · serial 762
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE SINGLE-ENGINE PILOT HAD A STUDENT HELICOPTER CERTIFICATE. HE TOOK OFF TO HOVER AND CHECK THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. HE STATED THAT BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE HELICOPTER WAS FUELED WITH A 5 GALLON CAN THAT HAD BEEN PAINTED RED. BEFORE REFUELING, HE RINSED THE CAN AND THEN USED A SPOUT STRAINER TO ADD ABOUT 10 GALLONS OF FUEL. AFTER WARMING THE ENGINE AND TAKING OFF, THE HELICOPTER FLEW ABOUT 50 SECONDS AND THEN THE ENGINE COUGHED AND LOST POWER. AN AUTOROTATION WAS INITIATED FROM ABOUT 50 FT AND 35 MPH. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, THE ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM, A FUEL TANK RUPTURED AND THE HELICOPTER BURNED. DISASSEMBLY OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED THAT THE MAIN JET WAS BLOCKED. PARTICLES OF RED PAINT (THAT MATCHED THE PAINT ON THE FUEL CAN) WERE FOUND NEAR THE BLOCKAGE. ALSO, THE HELICOPTER HAD LITTLE OR NO USE IN RECENT YEARS. REPORTEDLY, RESIDUAL GUM MAY HAVE ACCUMULATED DURING THE YEARS AND/OR THE FUEL MAY HAVE GUMMED THE RED PAINT.
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, student
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 376 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 302 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,392 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6VS-335-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BDG Blanding UT at 11:28 am
- Destination: BDG Blanding UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.