Hiller UH-12L4 accident near West Helena, Arkansas, June 22, 1994
On June 22, 1994 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Hiller UH-12L4 (helicopter), registered N90453, was destroyed in an accident near West Helena, Arkansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A LEAK IN THE MAIN FUEL LINE WHICH OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHICH BURNED A HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE. FACTORS WERE A FAILURE BY THE PILOT TO PERFORM RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1994 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Helena, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller UH-12L4 · all UH-12L4s on the register
- Registration
- N90453 · no longer on the register · serial 2503
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING INITIAL CLIMB FOLLOWING TAKEOFF, ON AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A DOWNWIND AUTOROTATION TO A LEVY AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. A POSTIMPACT FIRE OCCURRED WHICH DESTROYED THE HELICOPTER. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHICH BURNED A HOLE IN THE MAIN FUEL LINE. A MECHANIC HAD RECOMMENDED THAT THE PILOT CHANGE THE ROUTING OF THE FUEL/ELECTRICAL LINES.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 17,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,800 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 20, 1994; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 021° at 17 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:05 pm from MEM, 1 miles away
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.