Hiller UH-12B accident near Crystal Beach, Texas, May 8, 1994
On May 8, 1994 at about 1:40 am local time, a Hiller UH-12B (helicopter), registered N6417V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal Beach, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER AUTOROTATION TOUCHDOWN, WHICH RSULTED IN THE HARD LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE POWER LOSS DUE TO WATER CONTAMINATED FUEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1994 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Crystal Beach, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12B · all UH-12Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6417V · registry record · serial 417
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL ENGINE POWER LOSS DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT LANDING STRAIGHT AHEAD WOULD HAVE BEEN HAZARDOUS AND HE ELECTED TO TURN DOWN WIND AND ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER BACK INTO THE WIND AT LOW ALTITUDE. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD, TOUCHED DOWN SIDEWAYS, ROCKED ON THE SKIDS, AND ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-ACCIDENT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE ENGINE OR ITS ACCESSORIES. HOWEVER, ANALYSIS OF THE FUEL TAKEN FROM THE SYSTEM REVEALED THAT IT WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 654 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 109 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 572 as pilot in command; 126 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,633 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1993; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin O335-5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from GLS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.