Hiller UH-12E accident near Granby, Colorado, June 11, 1984
On June 11, 1984 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N504HA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Granby, Colorado. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- June 11, 1984 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Granby, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12E · all UH-12Es on the register
- Registration
- N504HA · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER PLT WAS ON A RECONNAISSANCE FLT TO SURVEY A HILLTOP LANDING SITE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. WHEN HE ARRIVED, HE MADE A HIGH RECONNAISSANCE PASS, THEN BEGAN A LOW RECONNAISSANCE APCH. HE ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS FROM 210 DEG AT 10 TO 15 KTS WITH LIGHT TURBULENCE. HIS APCH WAS MADE ON A HEADING OF 200 DEG. HE BEGAN HIS APCH AT APRX 40 KTS & WITH A DESCENT RATE OF 200 FT/MIN. WHEN THE HELICOPTER WAS ABOUT 150 FT FROM THE HILLTOP & APRX 50 FT ABOVE IT, THE AIRSPEED DROPPED TO ZERO & THE RATE OF DESCENT INCREASED. THE PLT APPLIED FULL POWER & TURNED DOWN A VALLEY TO THE RIGHT, BUT COULD NOT STOP THE DESCENT. THE HELICOPTER THEN HIT A TREE, TOUCHED DOWN ON SLOPING TERRAIN & ROLLED OVER. THE ELEVATION & DENSITY ALT WERE ABOUT 9200 & 10,040 FT, RESPECTIVELY. THE HELICOPTER'S HOVER CEILING OUT OF GROUND EFFECT WAS ABOUT 8500 FT; IN GROUND EFFECT, THE HOVER CEILING WAS APRX 11,800 FT.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 3,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,700 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 23, 1984; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Granby CO at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:30 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.