Hiller UH-12E accident near Golden, Colorado, March 9, 1989
On March 9, 1989 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12E (helicopter), registered N7411N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Golden, Colorado. It was an instructional 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
IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE CFI WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AND LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, TAILWIND, AND ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 1989 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Golden, 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
- N7411N · no longer on the register · serial 2110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & DUAL STUDENT WERE PRACTICING PINNACLE APCHS. THE CFI WAS FLYING THE HELICOPETER AS AN APCH WAS MADE TO A 6318' PINNACLE FROM THE SOUTHEAST. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT, THE WIND WAS FROM THE EAST AT 8 TO 10 KTS. AS THE CFI FLEW TO A 4' HOVER, THERE WAS A LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR CONTROL & THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED RIGHT TURN. THE CFI MADE A HOVERING AUTOROTATION, BUT THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN ON AN OUTCROPPING OF ROCK & ROCKED BACKWARD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TAIL STINGER & TAIL ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TERRAIN & THE HELICOPTER WAS DAMAGED. LATER, THE CFI SAID HE BELIEVED THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL CABLES HAD UNSPOOLED FROM THE DRUM & RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL. HOWEVER, A POST-ACDNT EXAM FAILED TO REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A PRE-ACDNT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. DENSITY ALT WAS APRX 8600'. APRX 7 MIEAST AT JEFFCO ARPT, THE WIND WAS FROM 140 DEG AT 10 KTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,897 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 1,457 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,885 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 15, 1988; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Broomfield CO at 9:05 pm
- Destination: BJC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from BJC, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N7411N 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.