Hiller H-12E accident near Byron, California, February 21, 2000
On February 21, 2000 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Hiller H-12E (helicopter), registered N61PC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Byron, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout while maneuvering in proximity to wires. A contributing factor was the sun glare, which reduced the wire's conspicuity.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2000 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Byron, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller H-12E
- Registration
- N61PC · registry record · serial 1309
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot collided with wires and impacted terrain while maneuvering during a morning aerial application flight. The pilot indicated that the accident could have been prevented had he performed a better reconnaissance of the area, avoided distractions, and approached the wires with the sun at his back.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 21,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,258 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 2000; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-540-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Victory Island CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 129°F (54°C), dew point 115°F (46°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from SCK, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N61PC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX00LA107.