Hiller UH-12E accident near Manning, North Dakota, August 31, 1983
On August 31, 1983 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N400AH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manning, North Dakota. It was a business flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 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
- August 31, 1983 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Manning, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N400AH · registry record · serial 1177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AFTER AN ENG FAILURE WHILE STRINGING POWER LINES. THE ACFT WAS IN A RIGHT SIDE LOW, NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE PULLING A WIRE ATTACHED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ACFT. THE WIND WAS FROM THE RIGHT REAR QUARTER WHEN THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ACFT ROTATED 45 DEGREES & THE PLT ONLY HAD TIME TO LEVEL THE ACFT AND MAKE A PITCH PULL PRIOR TO IMPACT FROM THE LOW ALTITUDE OF 150 FT AGL. THE ACFT IMPACTED LEVEL WITH NO FORWARD SPEED, THE SKIDS FAILED AND THE ACFT ROLLED OVER. THE PLT SUSPECTED FUEL STARVATION DUE TO ACFT ATTITUDE AND INERTIA. THE ACFT HAS ONE FUEL PICK-UP IN THE TANK.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,132 hours in all; 1,217 in this make and model; 119 in the last 90 days; 5,957 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,058 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 28, 1983; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVIO-540-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 165° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°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.
Other NTSB records under N400AH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.